Water Under the Bridge
by werks
Summary: S2-01 A few small events trigger a change of course in a parallel series that explores Jamie and Eddie's relationship if things had turned out a little differently that day he had the accident in "He lets me call him Frank now" - where would they be if that had happened? Still partners? Lovers? Might they have met some of the same people along the way on a different journey? Maybe!
1. Chapter 1

_Along the lines of chaos theory where something as seemingly inconsequential as a butterfly flapping its wings can set off a chain of events that leads to a hurricane, I've decided to take a second track for a parallel series and explore what might have happened to Jamie and Eddie's relationship if things had turned out a little differently that day when he had his accident in "He lets me call him Frank now" - suppose he had not gotten quite as sick and Eddie had not been invited into the Reagan family. What if she had NOT been asked to call him Frank that day? Hmm? Where would Jamie and Eddie be if that had happened? Still partners on the job? Lovers? Might they have met some of the same people along the way on an alternate journey? Maybe!_

 _This one mirrors "Follow Your Heart" for the most part with a big dose of "Home Sweet Home" thrown in for kicks. You don't have to read the whole other series for this story to make sense, but it helps if you want to spot the overlaps. Chapters 1-5 of "He lets me call him Frank now" are helpful for background before this picks up._

 _Be warned! This is another long one and I have been told that the first part of this story is a true challenge to anyone with even the strongest inner Jamko! Have no fear, they will find a way to resolve things! Special thanks to lawslave for her suggestions and offering to be a sounding board to bounce ideas off!_

 _You can find the lists for both series in my profile since it helps to read them in order, and as always I own nothing, CBS has all the rights to Blue Bloods, I just take their characters out for a spin for fun! Oh, and Happy New Year everyone!_

* * *

Chapter 1

NYPD Officer Edit Janko was busy adjusting the utility belt at her waist as she stood in front of her open locker at the 12th precinct during the morning before first shift on a sweltering day in mid-July. She had arrived earlier than normal in nervous anticipation, and critiqued her reflection in the small magnetic mirror, deciding uncharacteristically to adjust her tight work bun and apply a hint of blush and lip gloss before nodding in satisfaction and closing the door. Her partner and best friend was due to return to duty today after nearly a month on medical leave and she wanted to be ready.

Jamison Reagan had spent a week in the hospital battling pneumonia after inhaling a chemical mixture while taking down a purse-snatching perp in an alleyway and later collapsing across the hall from where Eddie now stood. It had been a horrible experience watching him crumple to the floor in front of Sergeant Renzulli and the rest of the officers in the house. He had been rushed to the hospital as she rode along in the ambulance with him and things had been a little dicey for the first couple of days as Jamie had struggled to maintain his oxygen levels, but his condition had thankfully leveled off and he had avoided the most serious possible complications.

As was their habit, the Reagan family had immediately closed ranks around the Commissioner's youngest son while he was ill and Eddie's visits had been reduced to sporadic appearances at odd hours when he was most often asleep during the end of that first week as she was uncomfortable vying for the limited visitation time offered while he was in the ICU. As soon as he was released he had been spirited away to the house in Bay Ridge since Frank and Henry were determined to keep a close watch on him. Jamie had whiled away the past three weeks recovering there and sleeping in his old room and Eddie had limited their interaction to a few phone calls and text messages because she was too uncomfortable with the thought of inviting herself over to her ultimate superior's house. She worried though as Jamie's latest replies had been short and terse. Was it possible he was upset with her for not having more nerve? She had missed his company so much, and it had become abundantly obvious to her she regarded him as more than a work partner. Her heart had ached for him every single day and she desperately wanted to work on defining their relationship now. She cursed herself for being such a coward and chewed her lip nervously as she looked up at the clock. Half hour to roll call. He had to be in the building by now; Jamie was habitually early even if he would only need to prepare for modified duty as a house mouse. Renzulli had assigned him to a desk until he was fully cleared and Eddie would remain partnered with Mark Wilson for now.

With one final tug on her belt, Eddie smoothed out her lapels, straightened her tie and picked up her hat as she made her way out of the women's locker room. It was her intention to head across the hall to the men's side and see if Jamie was ready to go. "Gotta remember to knock on the door," she reminded herself. Her hand was reaching up to tap on the glass when it swung open and suddenly he was there. A little thinner and still somewhat pale, but her breath caught and her heart skipped a beat as their eyes met and he offered her that involuntary little sideways grin that always melted her soul.

"Hey," he said with a small laugh. "Don't tell me you were actually going to knock first."

"Hi," she managed to exhale as her eyes narrowed and a strong blush crept up into her cheeks; she had to restrain herself from throwing her arms around him right then and there. She covered herself with a quiet "Welcome back, stranger."

"Thanks," he replied, searching her eyes with puzzlement… _What exactly had that little squint been for?_ he wondered. If he hadn't known better he would have thought it was eerily similar to that moment before they had kissed on a night so long ago. He quickly pushed that idea aside. If he was honest with himself, Jamie had to admit that he had been utterly disappointed with the way things had turned out between them recently. There for a little while before he had gotten sick he'd thought that the two had been on the verge of something… a reason to explore a different side to their relationship that he found himself craving; so much so that he had applied to sit for the upcoming sergeant's exam as an excuse to shake things up. He'd spent the last three weeks coming to terms with the fact that apparently she did not feel the same way as she had maintained strict distance at a time he could have really used her support and company outside of the precinct. It had been a kind of litmus test in a way. _Oh well,_ he thought to himself sadly, _I guess it was for the best._ At least he had not screwed with their friendship and work relationship if it was not destined to be more than that anyway.

The two were still locked in a silent, uncomfortable stare when a deep voice barked down the hall, "Reagan! My office! Now!"

Jamie paused and gave a small shake of his head before answering Renzulli's order, "Right away, Sarge," he called back as his eyes begged for an answer from her for one final second before he blinked. "Gotta go, duty calls," he said as he put his cap underneath his arm.

"Oh, okay," she replied softly as the spell was finally broken. "Can I buy you a drink tonight at Sullivan's to celebrate?"

"Reagan!" Renzulli called again impatiently.

"Um, well let's talk later," Jamie said as he did an about face to hurry to the end of the hall. "Have a good tour today, Officer Janko," he called over his shoulder.

"You too," Eddie murmured as she watched while Jamie turned the corner and then listened to Renzulli's office door close before allowing her tightly-held breath to finally exhale. He was back. Things were off between them, but she had expected that given his absence and her own behavior as of late. Tonight though she promised herself, she would open up to him and explain everything. Now that she was partnered with someone else there was no departmental policy to keep them from having a relationship outside of work, and if that was something he was willing to pursue she was more than happy to stay in the car with Wilson. She gave a small smile and a little chuff at the thought of being Jamie's girlfriend before turning to head the opposite way to pick up her duty assignment and radio. Today's shift couldn't possibly go by fast enough, she thought.

Jamie, meanwhile found himself in the familiar position of standing at attention in front of Renzulli's desk. "Relax and have a seat, Harvard," his boss ordered as he sat back in his chair. "Don't strain yourself. How you doing, kid?" he prodded.

"Getting better, Sarge," Jamie replied with a small smile as he sat, "but not quite ready to be out on patrol yet."

"I can see that," Renzulli said as he leaned forward and put his elbows on the desk while he looked his old boot in the eye. "You're down what? Ten, fifteen pounds? You were thin to start with. We're going to have to add some weight to your belt on windy days so you'll stay put."

"Twelve," Jamie admitted with a frown, his former TO had always displayed an uncanny ability at precise observation. "It was fifteen, but I've gained three back now. I only have two more to go before I meet the departmental guidelines for full duty."

"I suppose it could have been worse," Renzulli added as he sat back and turned back and forth in his chair. "You were pretty damn sick there for a while. Scared the crap out of me when you keeled over in the hallway that day. Nothing worse than sitting at the hospital waiting for your old man to show up so I can explain to him that his youngest dropped on my watch. Took at least five years off my life, I'll have you know. We were there for over an hour alone with him before he dismissed Janko and me after the nurse came to get him. Just for reference, your dad's kinda scary when one of his own is in trouble."

"Yeah, I can imagine," Jamie said, thinking back to that day. It hadn't been too much of a picnic for him either laying back in the exam area alone while having a full blown respiratory attack and being pumped full of God knows what as he was struggling for air. He'd never take that simple commodity for granted again. He had been lucky that his doctor had assigned a familiar and capable pulmonary therapist to him who kept his panic under control until the meds kicked in and his father had been allowed back to see him. Without her things might have turned out differently.

"So what about the sergeant's exam this Saturday? You ready?" Renzulli pried, finally getting to the real reason he had summoned Jamie to his office.

"Yeah, I mean I think so," Jamie answered truthfully. His eidetic memory, a trait he shared with Frank, always came in handy for big tests like this and had been the major reason he had aced the top spot in every single grade from kindergarten through his graduating classes at Harvard and the police academy. The ability to recall images, sounds, or objects in memory after only a few instances of exposure with such high precision had been a blessing in most instances, the only downfall being it made bad things hard to forget as well. "I've had nothing better to do for the last three weeks besides memorize the study guide, Sarge. I'm as ready as I'll ever be."

"That's what I want to hear," the older man acknowledged as he drummed his fingers on the desk, "because I have it on good authority that striped staffing is short, especially over at the 3-5. They've had a real run of early retirements in that precinct this year. Word is that the top score on this exam will have an almost immediate appointment there."

"Oh, for real?" Jamie asked as he considered that news. He had expected to wait some time for an opening.

"Yeah, and with the 3-5 territory bordering ours, it would make my life a lot easier if I had someone over there I could work with. We overlap on alotta calls. I've been getting nothing but grief from one of their duty sergeants, Jimmy Michael, for years now. He's a real pain in the ass and due to retire himself at the end of the year so I'm counting on you, kid."

"I'll do my best not to let you down, Sarge."

"Yeah, well, that brings me to my next point of order."

"Janko," Jamie muttered as he sat back. He knew right then and there by the tone in Renzulli's voice that he'd probably already taken his last tour with Eddie the day he'd gone down in that alley. Before recent events such a thought would have driven him crazy, but now he felt himself increasingly resigned to the notion as much as it still tore through his heart. He had lost a potential relationship and now a good partnership… maybe even their friendship once he pulled up stakes at this precinct. Eddie had kept herself away for weeks for whatever reason, perhaps it was time for him to move on too.

"She's getting on real well with Wilson," Renzulli admitted as he continued. "I want to keep them together and have you ride with me for a couple of weeks before you get your transfer orders if you ace that test the way I know you will. It'll let me have a chance to give you a heads up on the real sergeant duties. There's a lot of stuff you need to know that's not covered in that big book, Reagan."

"Sounds like a plan, Sarge," Jamie acknowledged thoughtfully. "It's as good a time as ever for a fresh start. I'll try my best to be ready to be reinstated for full duty by next week."

"You do that," Renzulli said as he carefully gauged the younger officer's reaction. He had always been convinced that there was more to Jamie and Eddie's relationship than they admitted, but by all accounts it looked like he had misjudged that after all. He had fully expected some initial resistance to his plan and was genuinely surprised when there was none. "Now get outta here. Roll call's in five minutes and you have a hot date with a desk afterwards."

"Yes, sir," Jamie smirked as he got up and turned to leave. Despite the modified duty assignment, it felt good to be back at work and the desk was not the only date he was looking forward to today.

###

Eddie's patience was running thin by the end of a busy tour as she and Wilson were called to the scene of a minor fender bender only ten minutes before they were due to return to the precinct and clock off. She hurriedly processed the necessary statements and paperwork for both parties and the two officers parked the RMP at home in the motor pool lot a half hour later. Wilson promised to clean the cruiser and gas up as he knew his new workmate was eager to change and meet up with her old partner as soon as possible. It was not a secret among the regular officers that Reagan and Janko carried a torch for one another, but Eddie had proven to be a capable cop in her own right during the last three weeks of tours they had worked together, so the ten-year veteran was willing to cut her some slack. He had nothing better to do than go home and study for the upcoming sergeant's test himself. It was time to try to get a promotion anyway after all of these years on patrol.

She hurried back to the locker room area after first dropping off her communication equipment and paperwork at the desk. She went directly to the men's side and knocked urgently on the door, but her heart fell a little when there was absolutely no answer. Maybe Jamie had left already given the fact that he had spent the day as a house mouse and she was running late. Eddie was reaching into her pocket for her phone to call him when she caught sight of a familiar jacket turning the corner down the hall and heading for the front doors. "Hey, Jamie!" she called as she followed quickly after him, wondering why he hadn't waited or texted to confirm their plans.

Her hands were on the door as she pushed it open but the next words caught in her throat and her heart absolutely shattered as she watched a rather beautiful and petite brunette run up from the street outside and throw her arms around him excitedly. Her jaw dropped as he returned the affection with a quick hug across the shoulders and a soft kiss on the cheek. Eddie shrank back against the wall and stared in disbelief as Jamie walked the young woman to his car and opened the passenger-side door for her, pausing to brush her lips before she turned to sit. They were laughing and chatting with one another and it was abundantly clear they were more than casual acquaintances now. She quickly turned and rushed back inside to watch under better cover before Jamie pulled the car away from the curb and drove away.

Eddie wandered back to the woman's changing room and sat on the bench in front of her locker in shock. _What the hell had just happened?_ she wondered as she brought her hands up to cover her eyes, pressing her palms up against them until she saw stars. "Stupid, stupid, STUPID!" she muttered out loud, grateful that there were no other female officers in the room to hear her. Her hands were shaking as she brought them back down and wrung them as her elbows rested heavily on her trembling thighs. _Tonight was supposed to be such a special night,_ her mind cried... _too bad I didn't clue Jamie into that,_ she thought ruefully with utter soulful regret. Her absolute fear of interacting with superior officers had held her at bay for nearly a month and away from the Reagan family while he had been struggling to recover alone. Now that reality had quite coldly slapped her in the face, she couldn't even blame him for moving on. What the eff had she been thinking?

She flashed back to those critical few minutes at the hospital just over four weeks ago where the guilt of seeing Jamie in distress and the fear of waiting for his father to arrive had triggered her anxiety to heightened levels once more.

 _By the time the ambulance pulled up to the Emergency receiving doors at the hospital, Jamie was feeling greatly relieved as lay propped up in a near sitting position. The oxygen mask had provided the air he had been so desperately seeking and whatever the medics had hastily injected into his IV had alleviated much of the pressure in his chest. He offered a small smile to the worried face peering at him. "I'm okay now Eddie, really," he'd said quietly and gripped her hand._

 _"Reagan, you scared the crap out of me. Do. Not. Do that again!" she emphasized as the ambulance doors swung open and the gurney was unloaded. A team of doctors and nurses met them at the entrance and whisked Jamie into the trauma bay. Eddie followed him until the last set of double doors, conveying the information about the possible chemical exposure to one of the doctors. At that point she was stopped by a nurse and directed to a private waiting room down the hall. Sergeant Renzulli arrived a few minutes later, having sent Eddie ahead in the ambulance to keep an eye on Jamie and speak to the doctors while he reported the events regarding the Commissioner's youngest to his superiors._

 _"Edit," he said, addressing her more informally outside of the precinct, "how is he?"_

 _"He looked much better after they gave him some meds," she answered with a relieved sigh. "He was awake the whole time and talking to me. That was pretty scary though, I've never seen him like that before."_

 _"Yeah, you think that's scary. You should try facing the Commissioner when something has happened to one of his kids," Renzulli stated, rubbing his hand nervously over the back of his head, knowing that at any minute Jamie's father and his detail would be arriving._

 _As if on cue the automatic doors at the end of the hallway opened and the impressive figure of Frank Reagan strode into sight, flanked from behind by his ever-present security detail. He looked composed, his Commissioner mask in place, but Renzulli could see the worried eyes of a father seeking him out as he neared the waiting room where they were standing._

 _"Commissioner, sir," Renzulli and Eddie both came to attention._

 _"At ease, Sergeant," Frank stated, after returning their salute, "how is he?"_

 _"Sir, the doctors are with him now. We haven't had any further news since he arrived, but Officer Janko reported Jamie was alert and oriented during the ride here from the precinct," Renzulli offered. "He started having a great deal of difficulty breathing while at the station. We believe his attack may have been brought on by an exposure to some chemicals in an alley while he was making an arrest of a robbery suspect earlier this afternoon."_

 _"What type of chemicals?" Frank asked._

 _"Unknown, sir. Officer Janko reported an odor possibly that of a cleaning agent but nothing is confirmed at this time. I sent another patrol car back to the scene after this happened but they indicated that the trash had already been picked up and there was no sign of the owner at the residence."_

 _"Thank you, Sergeant," Frank said as he pursed his lips, unable to detect what level of concern was required. Officer Janko looked rather shaken and was standing nervously with her right hand clenching her left arm. Frank strongly suspected there was something more between his son and his attractive young partner but there had never been more than a hint offered from Jamie on that subject. He wouldn't feel better until he saw his son with his own eyes and spoke to the doctor in person. His wish was granted about an hour later when a familiar face appeared in the doorway._

 _"Excuse me Commissioner," she said in a very comforting voice, "Dr. Holden sent me to find you. I can take you back to see your son now and the doctor will meet you in her office when she has the results of some tests."_

 _"Thank you," Frank replied standing quickly, completely caught off guard by her appearance and at a loss for words. "Sergeant, why don't you and Office Janko return to the precinct and close out your tour. I will call you with any updates." Eddie looked up in surprise as they were rather unceremoniously dismissed._

 _"Yes sir," Renzulli answered. "If you don't mind I will stop by after shift and check in on him."_

 _"Wouldn't have it any other way Tony," Frank smiled knowing how fond Renzulli was of Jamie. He reached out to shake the Sergeant's hand while offering nothing to Eddie. "Thank you."_

 _With that, Frank Reagan quickly left the room to follow the nurse on his way to see Jamie, and Eddie walked out of the hospital without seeing her partner for the next three days until he was deemed more stable._

Her eyes welled up, and the tears threatened to fall as she frantically changed and shoved her clothing into a duffle bag, desperate to get out of there before anyone else saw the raw emotion on her face. This could not be happening, not now. Not after all they had been through the last four weeks, damn it; make that the last two years. She had no good notion as to who the strange woman was, and no idea what to make of it or what to do right now. Jamie did seem to have a type, didn't he? Pretty, petite well-educated and manicured brunettes with long straight hair; pretty much the opposite of herself.

Suddenly that much-anticipated trip to the bar was needed for a whole other reason as the best she could hope for was that this would be a short fling like Jamie had last year with that ER doc Jennifer from Mercy. The other possibility... that he had met someone else to be serious with... was just too much for her to consider at this point as Eddie felt like her entire world had just been snatched away from her in an instant.

"It'll be alright," she tried to assure herself as she walked to her car alone, "just as soon as he comes back on full duty and we can ride together again. We'll be able to really talk then."

* * *

 _Uh oh. Strike one for Eddie. Just who is the beautiful, petite brunette horning in on what should have been a beautiful Jamko moment? Spoiler alert! It's NOT Sydney, lol. I couldn't bring myself to do that. She's someone new but we'll find out exactly who next!_


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"So where are we headed tonight?" Jamie asked as his twinkling eyes glanced right towards his beautiful and animated passenger while he drove as directed towards Central Park and the East Side of Manhattan. "I'm almost afraid to ask."

"Oh, Jamie Reagan! Don't you worry! You'll love it! I promise!" his new friend gushed as she stared straight ahead and impishly pushed her fingers over to grab the hand he had resting on the center console of his black Ford Mustang. "I'll even give you a choice since you're still technically recovering from being sick. I scoped out two things that are only a block apart. Just park in the garage at 80th and Fifth Avenue… I'll tell you about them and you can decide which direction we walk. We need to celebrate your first day back at work with some adventure."

"Still scaring me a little, Addie," he smirked as he turned where requested to enter the structure and pulled into an open space on the third level. This destination dating thing was a little new to him. Ever since Sydney left, well even before that if he was honest, there had been precious little spontaneity in his romantic relationships. Dana's arrival from the West Coast and their activities were always pre-planned; he had barely even gone out with Jen the ER doc before that fizzled, and for the past two years he and Eddie had always just met after work at a pub or bar with their interactions revolving around eating and drinking or playing beer pong. _Wait, check that,_ he thought; _that didn't really constitute dating_ he reminded himself. Given that fact, his recent love life history was even sadder than he cared to admit, and ironically, the last time he had found himself behaving like this had been back in his first year at Harvard when his brother Joe and then girlfriend and future fiance, Angela Greene, would come to Boston together to show him a good time. Ironic because his current companion just happened to be none other than Angie's youngest sister Addison, virtually a complete dead ringer for her older sibling who had recently followed the same path to the Big Apple from Portland.

"Okay, okay," she said enthusiastically when they got out of the car and started walking towards the exit, the beep beep of the car's locks being set from his remote button echoing behind them. "Now don't laugh…"

"Oh boy, here it comes…" he sighed as he took her hand and braced himself.

"If we go this way," she said while swinging her hand and hips right, "The MoMa is having a late night exhibition of Epic Mbembe Art Wood Carvings, and I just happened to score two free passes from Dr. Holden at St. Vic's," she said as she flashed the tickets at him. "Can you believe she isn't using them?" she asked in all seriousness.

"An evening of Epic Mbembe Art Wood Carvings at the Museum of Metropolitan Art," Jamie deadpanned. Classic. "And door number two?"

"That tall building on the corner there," Addie pointed left as she pulled a trifold brochure out of her other pocket and started to read from the summary. "That's an extreme sports hotspot currently featuring Tall Falls Stunt Jumping with the Manhattan Stunt Company. Adrenaline rush guaranteed!" she proclaimed. "Whether you're looking to overcome your fear of heights or you're a professional stunt person, the Manhattan Stunt Company has the perfect answer for any thrill seeker including the Monday evening class featuring the exhilarating feeling of Tall Falls. The class starts with basic theory and moves into table falls and crash mats so that you can learn the proper technique. Finally, you'll climb the ladder and experience a rush like no other as you free fall from the three story jumping platform to the landing airbag," she looked up and smiled. "You're in for the experience of a lifetime it says!" Her striking, crystal blue eyes were flashing with excitement.

"MoMa and the Mbembe it is," Jamie said as he grabbed her shoulders and steered her right without a second thought. His heart froze at the notion of falling off anything on purpose; he'd always had a strong aversion to heights anyway.

"Dr. Holden told me you would pick that," Addie smirked. "She knew you would be too chicken to jump."

"Yeah, well, I get enough adrenalin rushes out on the street," he admitted. "At least I did."

"Aw, Jamie, you're just about ready to be cleared for full duty. I told you the last time we did your lung function tests that you only had a little way to go yet, didn't I?" That was Addison Greene the respiratory therapist talking now. Luckily for Jamie she had been on her first shift of duty with Dr. Holden, his pulmonologist, the day he had been brought into the ER at St. Victor's gasping for breath. The unexpected sight of a familiar face had been just enough to steady his nerves somewhat, and she had stayed with him for hours, doing her best to calm him and relieve the congestion in his chest so he didn't wind up needing to be intubated as was initially feared. She'd proven to be a real lifeline through that whole first week, and with Linda's prodding after he had been discharged, the two had struck up a fast friendship and decided to explore the possibilities of dating in recent weeks. _It's not like I had any other offers,_ Jamie had thought ruefully, _or did I?_ he considered as his mind snapped back to that look Eddie had given him at the precinct this morning. If he hadn't known better he would have thought she had been ready launch herself at him. His heart fluttered a little at the idea before he dismissed it. _Crazy talk,_ he chided himself. _I've obviously been misreading her for years,_ and Addie was personable, bright, fun-loving and certainly easy on the eyes. More importantly, she was here and interested in going out with him. The biggest drawback? She was truly Angie's 'little' sister and had just recently celebrated her 23rd birthday. Nearly seven years her senior, Jamie felt a little outdated around her, but was determined not to let that dissuade him right now.

The couple made their way into the museum and were able to avoid the rush at the box office with their advanced tickets as Addison was quick to point out. "Who knew a couple of hundred people would be standing in line for sub-Saharan African wood carvers at this time of night," he muttered. A lifelong New Yorker, Jamie had been amazed at some of the odd things to do that his new romantic interest from Portland had ferreted out in his own hometown. There was certainly never a dull moment around her. They spent an hour or so wandering through the exhibit, observing and commenting on the visually dramatic wood sculptures of mothers with their offspring and male warriors created between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries, originally part of the monumental carved drums integral to the tribe. Their cultural experience complete, the pair walked outside and sat on a bench after purchasing dinner from a local food truck… at least that was something Jamie felt he had the upper hand at.

"This is delicious!" Addie raved as she basically inhaled her sandwich. "I didn't realize how hungry I was!"

"Yeah, me too," Jamie laughed at the familiar reaction to a meal break… one that had him pining a little for another partnership that seemed to be over. The reality that he would no longer be riding in the RMP with Eddie every workday during their tours was just starting to settle in.

"So," Addie continued as she licked her fingers, "I can't wait for you to see Angie again when she flies in for Darla's wedding in a couple of weeks. She and Michael are so excited about coming back to the city now with the baby due in three months; she figures they won't be doing much travelling for a few years."

"Yes, can't wait," Jamie hedged as he thought about what that reunion might be like. Angie would forever be Joe's girl to him; the two had a real connection and chemistry that had been evident to everyone who knew them. She had been essentially another big sister for all of those years and seeing her married to someone else and expecting a child made Jamie feel uneasy as much as he wanted to be happy for her. She certainly deserved to move on with her life but it was going to be another difficult reminder that his brother was truly gone and missing out on all the past years would have had to offer him. Surely Joe would have been a father himself by now, Jamie thought sadly, suddenly picturing all the empty chairs that represented at Sunday dinners… spaces he had done nothing to fill himself in recent years.

"Hey, why so glum, chum?" Addie finally broke in as she noticed him going all introspective. "Did I say something wrong?"

"Course not," he answered with a smile. "Guess I'm just getting tired. Was a long day at work and I'm not quite back to a hundred percent yet."

"We can go," she offered without a second thought. "You need to take it easy when you feel that way so you don't relapse. I'm working swing the rest of the week, how about you?"

"First," he confirmed. "Still riding a desk." The one drawback now that he was back on the job would be coordinating their shifting schedules.

"Well, I'll definitely see you Friday," she smirked. "You're due back for your next appointment with Dr. Holden at three o'clock and I'll be there early before shift with bells on and my fanciest spirometer. Better bring your best pair of lungs with you so we can finally get you released from her service. Technically we're breaking some rules here while you're still a patient, right?"

"Technically, I guess," he agreed as he reached over and drew her in for a long kiss. Her lips were soft and exciting. "Not that I care much about that right at this moment."

"We're lucky that my new boss doesn't either, although I'm sure she doesn't want me to make a habit of it. Promise me you'll try not to take a nosedive into another pile of bleach bottles anytime soon," she smiled as she gazed in his eyes while they broke apart. "You're such a baby when it comes to being sick. Typical man," she laughed as she stood up and grabbed his hand. "How about Saturday?"

"Maybe at night," he answered. "I might be brain dead at that point though. I've got that big sergeant's test all afternoon. I won't be done with it until after six and then I'll probably end up at the local cop bar with all the other candidates defusing afterwards. Renzulli is really ratcheting up the heat on me. He told me today that the top score will get a promotion directly to the 3-5, so if I do well I might have my gold shield and stripes in no time."

"Oh, nighttime is a no go unless it's pretty late. I have my riding lesson up at the stables scheduled for then. Well, I guess it's good that I'm tied up for the rest of the week," she laughed. "You need to have your butt home studying every night anyway."

"There's Sunday," he added without thinking. "We have our family dinner after church if you're not busy." _Whoa, where the hell did that come from?_ he wondered with a little shock. He hadn't taken a guest to dinner in years since... well since Sydney, but Addison had not been shy about spending time over at the house in recent weeks and seemed to get along well with everyone in the family. In reality, she had been practically related to them at one point, right? It just seemed natural to invite her over. Jamie had always tried to hide his personal life from the rest of the Reagans as much as possible but that didn't seem to be necessary at this point.

"Sounds perfect then... Sunday it is," Addie agreed without hesitation as they walked back to the car. A short drive with a pleasant good night kissing session later, and Jamie soon found himself alone again and turning the keys in the lock of his own apartment door, before throwing them in the basket on the small table in the entry and making his way over to the couch to sink bonelessly back as he kicked off his shoes and propped his feet up on the coffee table. He was determined to take things slow with Addison... no need to rush into anything too fast, he reminded himself.

"So good to be home finally," he muttered as he relaxed in his own space. Moving back here over the weekend after three weeks of living at the family enclave made him appreciate the privacy his little apartment afforded. No one was here to interrogate him about how he was feeling or how the date had gone, although he smiled to himself, it hadn't been half bad. Who knew the Mbembe were such an interesting people? Certainly a better option than flinging himself backwards off of a three-story scaffolding somewhere else he thought with a shudder.

After a few more moments he chewed the inside of his lip thoughtfully and got up to make his way over to a small closet, hesitating before pulling a storage box down off the top shelf and setting it on the coffee table. He rummaged through it for a few seconds before lifting out a framed photo taken during a visit his first year at Harvard. Those same crystal blue eyes that Addison had inherited stared back from a slightly different smiling face, nestled in the center of a campus bench between him and his brother Joe. His throat tightened a little as he realized just how practically identical Angie and Addie were at the same age. He put the photo down on the table and sank back in the chair, staring at it. So much had changed. If he could only go back to that innocent time, before his mother had grown ill with cancer, before Joe had been killed that terrible night. So many things would be different now.

His eyes soon shifted left though and fell upon the thick department study guide laying on the table alongside a stack of hospital bills that were coming due shortly. He sighed as he reached for the book and thumbed through the now completely familiar pages. A promotion would come with a major boost in pay and an increase in benefits. He was determined to take that top spot on Saturday's test. Like it or not, it was time to move on in many aspects of his life.

* * *

 _Aw, now don't be hating on my girl Addie… she's got a good heart and plays a very big role in things that happen later. Our boy is just a bit confused right now but trust me, reality hits him hard at one point. Stay strong Jamko fans, this is a long ride but we'll get there. Next up, Eddie discovers that Jamie might be further out of her reach than she thought, but don't worry! She's got a plan!_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

In contrast to Jamie's night out, Eddie had spent her evening at home, consuming a few too many whiskey sours she mixed herself to drown away the tears that fell from her face all evening. Unlike the previous day, she was late arriving for work and praying that she could make it down the hallway and into the locker room before anyone noticed her bloodshot, puffy eyes. She had to have some damn Visine in there somewhere. Luck was not with her again as the one person she desperately wanted to avoid turned the corner right into her path just before she made it to the ladies' door.

"Janko!" Jamie started as he looked at her in surprise. "You look awful! Are you sick?" he asked with concern.

"Yeah," she replied as she sought to cover herself and paused to wipe her imaginary runny nose for effect. "Came down with something after shift yesterday," she sniffled, adding in a soft 'cough, cough' for effect.

"Oh, that's too bad," her unbeknownst-to-her former partner sympathized. "Maybe you should take a personal day. I would have waited for you last night, but I heard you get called out on that 10-53 right before end of watch and I was meeting a friend for dinner."

"A friend?" Eddie prodded carefully since he provided the opening and she had spent the entire evening obsessing about where he might have been and what he might have been doing, "or a friend friend? Where'd you go?"

"Friend," Jamie emphasized, carefully gauging whether he heard any change in her inflection; too hard to tell with her stuffed up, nasally reply he determined. "Believe it or not we went to the Met to see an exhibit of wood carvings," he laughed.

"Jamie Reagan went willingly to a museum to see the seventeenth century Epic Mbembe Art Wood Carvings?" Eddie asked with shock evident in her voice. "What?" she added indignantly when she saw his eyebrows raise. "I read. You're not the only one here that went to college, Harvard," she added before muttering under her breath, "must be some friend."

"Yeah, for now," he admitted. This was getting uncomfortable. "You sure you're okay for a tour today?" he added, trying to change the subject.

"Fine," she said as she turned to head into the room so she could hurriedly change before roll call. "Don't worry, I'll be over my germs before we get in the car together again."

He paused outside as the door closed and he came to the realization that Renzulli had not yet spoken to her. Drawing a deep breath, he knocked on the glass and entered. She had to know and probably deserved to hear it from him. "Janko? You decent still? We need to talk," he called.

"Reagan!" she shouted back from the other side of the lockers as she was frantically putting her uniform on and searching for those missing eye drops. They were going to be late to roll call and the last thing she needed this week was a writeup for tardiness. "What are you doing in here? I'm changing!"

"Well, I'll stay here by the door," he answered as he leaned up against the wall. "Besides, it never stopped you before," he muttered under his breath thinking about all the times she hadn't had any qualms about walking in on him in dressed in nothing but his skivvies.

"What was that?" she yelled back.

"I wanted to give you a heads up before we went in there," he covered his backhanded comment as he spoke up louder. "Sarge is probably gonna talk to you today. He, um, well he told me yesterday when he called me in the office that he wants to keep you and Wilson paired up together from here on out. I'll be riding with him the next few weeks once I get cleared." He heard the locker door slam.

"Why?"

The silence after the icy reply was deafening.

"Oh, well," Jamie cleared his tight throat nervously. Maybe it hadn't been such a good idea to spring this on her while she was rushing. "He thinks that I'll probably ace the sergeant's exam on Saturday, and he's almost positive the top score is gonna get appointed to the 3-5 pretty much right away. They're really short staffed over there right now." He paused before choking out, "I have a good shot, you know, 'cause tests like that are kinda my thing. He wants to show me the ropes in case I get transferred soon."

Eddie's heart was caught in her throat. She didn't have words. He was leaving. The amazing partnership that they had shared for so long now since her first baby steps out of the academy was over and there wasn't even the expectation of a happy consolation prize of a romantic relationship to take its place right now. She thought they had time, but her hopes were shattered again.

"Eddie?"

"I didn't know you were taking the test," was the almost defeated reply.

"Yeah, sorry, meant to tell you earlier... I decided to do it right before I got sick, and then… well we haven't had much of a chance to talk since then," he answered as he leaned back up against the wall and swallowed back some emotion himself. "I really didn't think this would all happen so fast. I'm sure gonna miss you, partner."

More silence.

"Eddie, you okay?"

She was shaking as she stood silently for a few more seconds, searching for the right words. "I know you'll do great, Jamie. You deserve this," she said softly. There was another long pause before she added, "You'd better get going or you'll be late for roll call and Renzulli will have to give you a rip your first week back. That won't look good on your record. Tell him I had to leave, please. I'm not feeling well at all anymore. I need to go home."

"Ed…"

"Just go, Reagan," she cried softly. "We'll talk later, I promise."

"I'll be over to check on you later tonight then I guess... feel better, Janko," he offered quietly before turning to leave her in a stunned silence.

She managed to hold her composure before collapsing back down on the bench when she heard the sound of his footfalls fading away after the door opened and swung shut.

###

Officer Mark Wilson shot a careful glance at his partner midway through Wednesday's tour. Eddie Janko was a known chatterbox on her worst day, something that he actually appreciated as it usually contributed to making even a dull shift fly by. Today though he had hardly been able to pry a word out of her.

"You still sick?" he wondered as he pulled up to one of his favorite food stops and called in a 10-63 to put them out on meal.

"No, feeling a little better today," she murmured while thinking back to the evening before. Jamie had announced his arrival with a soft knock on her apartment door just before six. She knew he would come just as he promised he would. To his credit he put up a good front by allowing her to continue to feign an illness, going so far as to bring a big container of her favorite soup along with him. Of course the ruse didn't really fool him, but it made the conversation easier although the tension between them continued to prove somewhat awkward. They talked mostly about the upcoming exam and possible promotion, with very little revealed about his new relationship. She did get a first name out of him, Addison, and an occupation which explained pretty clearly how they had met but nothing more.

Knowing that Jamie faced a stressful few days preparing for the big test, Eddie elected to push off any other forays into personal business so as not to distract him. After their talk, she honestly did want him to do well on Saturday, and she didn't quite get the impression that he was head over heels in love with this other woman at this point in time so she hoped that she could just chip her way back into the picture without making a big wave. They had two years of history to fall back on, she reminded herself. When she gave herself a moment to think about it without the initial panic, a transfer to the 3-5 actually played nicely into her hands and would leave them free to pursue the relationship she so desired now. Eddie had a new plan: see to it that Jamie got his promotion and then convince him to kick the other chick to the curb. Simple.

"So you're going to be sitting for the test on Saturday too, right?" she asked her now permanent partner as she pulled her sandwich out of the wrap and took a bite. It was practically the first non-liquid meal she'd had in almost two stress-filled days. "What's it like?"

"Tough," Wilson sighed. "Word is they upped the number of questions to 130 from a hundred this year, and half the people couldn't finish it before in the time allowed… six hours for a hundred questions and that many can't finish," he shivered. "Don't know what the hell I was thinking when I signed up. Takes at least ten months to study for it they say."

Ten months. Jamie said he had just decided to put in for it before he got sick, and then well, he'd been pretty damn sick. Did he really think he'd be ready for it? "What's the pass rate?" she wondered.

"Last year? Less than seven percent. Gets harder each time."

"Whoa. So you think you have a shot?" Eddie asked. "What happens if you do pass?" Although she had only been riding with Wilson for a short time, she had come to enjoy their partnership and what with Jamie aiming to leave, she didn't feel like being uprooted completely by having them both transferred out from under her at the same time.

"You go on a list ranked mainly by scores," he explained. "The higher the score, generally the faster the placement. They promote about 600 new sergeants every year, so I've been told, but if you're one of the lower ones you could sit on that list for a long time or even get bumped the following year if you haven't made it through and the mean score rate is higher." He paused and shook his head. "My wife pushed me to go for it, what with the kids getting older and college sneaking up on us fast, but I dunno, I'm not so good with stuff like this. Put me out on the street and I'm fine but ask me to regurgitate the rule book… I'm not so sure. I'll definitely be ordering a big drink afterwards if I'm lucky. It's tradition for anyone who finishes the test and is still left standing to go up the street to O'Doul's and get hammered. The guy that owns it is a retired sergeant himself and shows mercy with free food and half-priced drinks all night to whoever looks like they need it. Place will be packed with stressed out badges after six o'clock."

"I'm sure you'll do fine," she encouraged. Despite his self doubts, Wilson was a very capable cop, but Jamie could quote the patrol guide front to back and in reverse and probably upside down in Swahili without a second thought... all 1609 pages of it. It was one of those maddening, quirky things about him she loved to hate sometimes. No wonder Renzulli had him pegged for the top score. One thing was for sure though, the 12th wasn't going to be the same after this weekend no matter what happened. The thought turned Eddie off her food again, and she shoved the half-eaten fare back in the bag in disgust. "Six o'clock at O'Doul's," she muttered. She was scheduled for a first shift tour riding with Kara Walsh on Saturday, covering for everyone who was preoccupied taking the test, and they'd be off the clock by then. It might just be worth the trip uptown to gauge how things went and Kara could have her back if they showed up there unannounced. It had been a while now since she'd been out with Jamie after work and it might be a good time to remind him of just what he was missing, especially at a cop bar. She pulled out her phone to text her girlfriend and clue her in on their new plans.

* * *

 _You go girl! Next up, Jamie suffers through a serious case of déjà vu on one very weird afternoon before the big test day._


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Hey, Reagan! You leaving to go play hookie somewhere?" Eddie Janko's chipper voice floated down the hall from behind Jamie. It was Friday, and he had just hurried out of the locker room at the precinct in his street clothes after punching out early with Renzulli's blessing on what he prayed would be his last day riding a desk. He had a late-afternoon appointment over at the hospital for a follow-up with Dr. Holden to hopefully be cleared for full duty, and afterward he intended on picking up some takeout and holing up in his apartment for one last cram session before the big test day tomorrow.

He turned to find his former partner standing near the door to the main desk area with one hand on a handcuffed perp. He glanced at his watch to gauge his travel time, which was kind of tight to be honest, but relented and walked up the hall towards her anyway. "Not really," he answered with a small smile as he got closer. "Gotta run… have an appointment with the doc at three and then a serious date alone with the study guide again for the rest of the night."

 _Well, that was good news,_ Eddie thought. It didn't sound like Addison would have her claws on him at all tonight, that was until she remembered where her rival worked. Jamie was probably heading straight for her. Damn. Still, it didn't sound like they had any plans together. She wondered if the brunette had the same apprehension about him coming to work here. Doubtful, she realized... knowing Jamie as well as she did he would have never brought their relationship, if you could even call it that, up to Addison at all. _She probably doesn't even have a clue I exist. Maybe that gives me the upper hand,_ Eddie reasoned hopefully.

"I only have a minute. I have to get Mr. Walters here up to the front desk. So, are you all set for your big day?" she asked with as much enthusiasm as she could muster. Her blue eyes were flashing brightly, and she offered a big wide 100-watt smile with her statement. 'Support, promote, kick the chick' was the motto she was living by right now.

Jamie glanced at her quizzically. He could not for the life of him figure Edit Janko out recently. First, she essentially disappeared for weeks, then she had been all weepy and mad, under the pretense of being 'cough-cough' sick, about the prospect of him taking the damn test and transferring to the 3-5, and yet today she sounded like she was about to order a seven-piece brass band to escort him out through the front door. It was exhausting to consider the possibilities behind this, so he just brushed it away for now. He already had plenty on his plate to worry about as it was. "Yeah, think so," he replied.

"Well good luck at your appointment and tomorrow at the test!" she practically beamed. "I know you can do it, Reagan!"

"Thanks. I guess... I mean I'll see you Monday, Eddie," he added in the same puzzled tone. "I've really gotta run so I'm not late. Have a good shift," he offered with a wave over his back as he hurried to the door still shaking his head.

"Oh, I think maybe you'll just see me before that," she muttered with a smile as she pushed her prisoner up towards the front desk. Knowing what a stressful day he had in store, she had scheduled a night out with Kara so she could pop in and congratulate him at the bar after the end of his test. She was getting more and more excited about the prospect of having him as her boyfriend.

###

Jamie nervously pulled at the edge of his shirt as he sat outside of Dr. Holden's office just after four o'clock waiting for the results of his latest tests. He had been poked, prodded, x-rayed and scanned over the course of the last hour and was ready to be done. True to her promise, Addison had come in early for her shift just to babysit him through all the procedures, and so far, everything looked good. He just needed the ultimate okay from Dr. Holden and his life could finally get back to normal, although at this point he was having a hard time remembering exactly what that was.

His phone vibrated as yet another text message came in. This one was from his brother Danny. That made three in the last ten minutes; everyone wanting to know how his appointment had gone. He sighed and wondered if any of them understood how slow the process really was. He had no answers so chose to ignore them for now.

"Jamison Reagan," the nurse called. "Dr. Holden will see you now."

He gave her a slight smile as he stood and made his way into the office as she closed the door behind him.

"Jamie, it's good to see you again," Dr. Holden greeted him as he moved to sit down across from her. "Please have a seat. Now I have the results of most of your tests, but first I want to ask you how you are feeling before we get into any of that."

Jamie squirmed a little in the chair. "Oh, um, okay I guess. Better than before you know, but..."

"But not quite a hundred percent, right?" the doctor finished for him.

"Yeah," Jamie said honestly.

"Well, that is to be expected, Jamie. Quite frankly you were gravely ill not too long ago and almost needed extraordinary measures to keep you alive. It can be difficult for the body to bounce back from something like that. What I can tell you is that your lungs have healed beautifully and any lingering coughing and tightness you are experiencing should begin to dissipate fairly quickly now. I am going to have you continue with the nightly inhalation treatments until all of that is gone, okay? Other than that you should be medication free now."

Jamie nodded. That sounded good, but he was hoping for one final bit of news.

She cleared her throat and continued, "Speaking as your pulmonologist, I will be able to release you from my service with some regular follow-ups." After a brief pause, she added, "You still have a bit of weight to gain back, but it looks like everything else falls in line with your departmental guidelines, so you will be cleared to return to duty, effective Monday." She pushed a piece of paper across the desk towards him. "Here is the form you will need to file with your personnel department, and I would like to see you back here in three months' time to check your lung function again. Give this paper to Jodi at the desk she will set all of that up for you. If you have any questions for me in the meantime, please do not hesitate to call."

Jamie gratefully took all the papers and shook Dr. Holden's hand, thanking her before making his way out of the office. He paused with the secretary to set up his follow up appointment and felt like a tremendous weight had just been lifted off his shoulders. It was time to put the saga of the last month behind him and move forward. Addie was waiting outside the office door for him, on a short, strategic layover with one of her patients in a wheelchair.

"I only have a minute. I have to get Mr. Williams here up to the front desk. So, are you all set for your big day?" she asked as she walked him down towards the elevators. Her crystal blue eyes were flashing brightly, and she offered a big wide 100-watt smile with her statement.

Jamie glanced at her quizzically as he had a sudden overwhelming feeling of déjà vu. "Yeah, think so," he replied.

"Well you had good luck today at your appointment and will tomorrow at the test!" she practically beamed as she stretched up on her tiptoes and offered him a quick kiss. "I know you can do it, Jamie!"

"Thanks. I guess... I mean I'll see you Sunday, Ed.. Addie," he added in the same puzzled tone. This was turning out to be a really weird afternoon. Maybe he had overdone it with the studying the past few days and fried his brain already. "I'll pick you up around eleven. Have a good shift," he offered with a wave as he stepped into the elevator still shaking his head.

"Oh, I think maybe you'll just see me before that," she muttered with a smile as she pushed her patient up towards the front desk. Knowing what a stressful day he had in store, she had rescheduled her riding lesson so she could pop in and congratulate him at the bar after the end of his test. She was getting more and more excited about the prospect of having him as her boyfriend.

###

Jamie took one final look at the clock and then turned his test paper over as instructed at precisely noon on Saturday. He was sitting in a large amphitheater on the campus of John Jay College with several thousand other hopefuls, just down the hall from the atrium that had been named in his brother's honor way back when he was a rookie. He shuddered a little as he remembered how he and Danny had been forced to avert a last-minute assassination attempt on his own father while he spoke at the dedication that day. Frank Reagan had refused to lie low while there was another threat to his life after having already been shot in the shoulder and back earlier in the week. Instead, he had stood up defiantly at the ceremony and thanked everyone, telling the crowd how Joe had loved the poem "No Man Is an Island" by John Dunne. Jamie remembered how his father had been reciting the piece while he and Danny had desperately looked for Kevin Brennan who turned out to be dressed as a priest. His dad had finished the poem while watching as his two remaining sons arrested Kevin on the escalator just before the atrium was unveiled. Another close call for the Reagan family averted, Jamie thought.

His attention was quickly drawn back to the monumental task at hand, and he ignored the monitors that were strolling up and down the aisles as he focused on the questions, methodically working his way through the test as he had done on so many similar ones before. Even the New York State Bar exam had nothing on this one for pulling out arcane rules and trying to twist the possible answers around into complicated knots. By the end of the allotted time though, Jamie was positive that he had virtually every answer on point and his confidence was soaring as he handed in his booklet and was excused from the hall. Judging from the wash of pale, strained faces surrounding him, it didn't look like too many others shared his certainty. Time to head up the street to O'Doul's and have his first real drink in weeks since he had been officially pulled off of all his meds. The pressure was gone, and tonight was going to be a good one he thought as a big smile crossed his face.

Given the intentions of two particular women, and despite all of his book smarts, poor Jamison Reagan didn't have a clue as to what was coming.

* * *

 _Yes, indeed, I do think the next chapter is going to be a fun one as Eddie and Addie come face-to-face for the first time! Hang on, it starts a bit of a rough ride and it's a little long, but I couldn't split it up in good conscience so consider it as a bonus chapter day. :-)_

 _Also, please keep the reviews coming! I really appreciate them and while this story is pre-written it can help to point out some things for future chapters that might be important to include or make more obvious._


	5. Chapter 5

_Okay I just have to say I found my own Jamko severely compromised by last night's episode "Back in the Day", but I will persevere in this fic in hopes the show's writers come good at some point!_

* * *

Chapter 5

"Harvard!" Anthony Renzulli yelled across the room as Jamie was one of the first candidates to make his way into O'Doul's for the long-attested tradition of a post-exam wet down. "You're lookin' good, and you've got a smile on your face… just what I was hoping to see!" his former TO exclaimed as he came over and slapped him across the back and pulled him over to the bar by the back of his neck. "Hey, John!" he called out to the older gentleman behind the counter. "I'm buying, set us up. This is the kid I was telling you about. Fifty bucks says he nailed the all-time high score for the department… your spot at the top is history, pal!"

"You're on, and if that's the case this one's on the house too," John said as he accepted the bet and poured a glass to set down in front of Jamie. "No one's getting near my mark, Tony, you old dog," he growled good-naturedly. "They've made that damn test about impossible since you and I took it back in the day. Good thing we're part of the old school or the highest we would have ever gotten promoted to was meter maid."

"Ain't that the truth," Renzulli agreed as he downed another. It was apparent that he already had a good head start on the proceedings.

"So you're the Commish's kid," John eyed as Jamie picked up the glass and knocked back the shot. It burned all the way down; he was definitely out of practice after having been a teetotaller for more than a month, and was going to have to watch himself tonight... what with the big dinner with Addison coming up tomorrow. He realized he couldn't afford to get too sloshed, even though knowing that he'd be drinking tonight, he'd taken the subway over before the test and planned to catch a cab home. "I worked with your dad back when he was a detective out of the 3-5. Good man."

"Thank you, sir," Jamie answered.

"Tony here thinks you'll be heading that way yourself. It's a good house… lot of tradition there, just keep an eye out for the old guard. Some of them don't take too kindly to change, if you know what I mean, and your nameplate will give them a target to focus on especially with your old man's history there," John added as he held his eye. "Just watch your six, son."

Renzulli was already feeling too good to notice, but Jamie could sense that the man behind the bar was in fact giving him a genuine warning. Ever since he was a rookie, his last name had always put an added bull's-eye on his back, but this sounded a little more ominous. "I'll be sure to do that, sir," he answered evenly.

"Good," John replied as he smiled and quickly refilled Jamie's glass. "Here, have another. You're gonna need it to catch up to this one over here."

Preoccupied with the conversation and the other men at the bar, Jamie didn't notice as Eddie and Kara Walsh slipped into the room with another group. The place was filling up fast and getting noisy with a sea of overwhelmed candidates. The two women quickly found seats at a small table near the kitchen but Eddie remained standing to scan the room. "I don't see him," she said worriedly as her five-two frame was dwarfed by the rest of the crowd. She was wearing her hair down in loose curls with jeans, heels and a sleeveless red spaghetti strap top with a chunky gold necklace and bangles on her wrist. Many of the other officers in her own precinct would have never recognized her. She looked like a knockout tonight.

"Aw, Eddie, don't worry. He's here somewhere," Kara reassured. She had been fully apprised of the situation and the reason they were there tonight. The way Jamie and Eddie felt about each other was the worst-kept secret at the precinct and it was about time those two got together so she was determined to help her friend. "Now sit down. You don't want to look desperate. We're just supposed to be here casually to see how things went, remember?"

"Yeah, okay, 10-4," Eddie fidgeted as she took her seat. She looked up and spotted someone else they knew. "Hey, there's Wilson! He made it! Mark!" she called. "Hey! Come over here!"

Wilson looked up with a little smile as he saw the friendly faces. He grabbed his beer and pulled up a chair to join them. "You sure look nice, partner," he said as he smirked at Eddie. "You get all dressed up just to come and see me?"

"Hardly," Kara deadpanned. It's not like Wilson hadn't spotted the obvious in the last two years. He knew what Jamie's transfer would mean to Eddie as much as anyone else… except apparently Reagan himself now. What a tool. "How was it?" she inquired.

"Impossible," he sighed as he took a long draw. "I made it to the end but I'm not counting on giving up my seat in the cruiser with Janko anytime soon."

"Have you seen Jamie?" Eddie asked impatiently. Kara sighed... from all appearances she was going to have a tough time convincing her friend to stick with the casual, non-committed route tonight.

"Yeah," Wilson admitted. "Renzulli's got him pinned down over there at the far side of the bar listening to war stories from back in the day with John O'Doul, the guy that owns the place. Word is that he's got the current all-time high score for the test and Sarge is trying to convince him that his time at the top is numbered. He thinks Reagan's a shoe in. No one's even come close in years."

"Does that bug you?" Eddie asked, trying to be supportive of her current partner; he was a good guy after all and had treated her really fairly since they were paired up. "I mean Renzulli's our boss too."

"Nah, the two of them have history," Wilson admitted. "He's always had that kid under his wing, and if Jamie gets that he'll have earned it. Trust me. Should have been promoted up to detective long ago… anyone can see that. No one's done him any favors. If anything he's been banged for nothing more times than not."

"So when do you get the results?" Kara asked, knowing it would have been Eddie's next question anyway.

"Supposed to be posted online by Friday," Wilson revealed. "Listed by test number and ranked by score." He pulled a card out from his pocket and raised his glass. "Here's hoping that number 2271 shows up on that list above the cut line, or I'm gonna have to find somewhere else to sleep next weekend. My wife will kill me!" He stood up and pushed his chair in. "I'll see you two later," he said. "I can't stay late and I've gotta go find out how some of my other pals did. Good luck to you tonight too, Janko," he smiled as he walked away.

"Okay, so we have a location," Eddie asked nervously. "Now what?"

"Now we do casual," Kara said as she stood and reached over to grab Eddie's arm to pull her up. "It's no secret everyone comes here after the test. We'll just go over there and bump into him and tell him we stopped by while we were out to see how things went. With any luck the two of you will spend the rest of the night kicking a few back, before maybe you leave and go back to your apartment to kick a few things off," she smirked.

"Kara!" Eddie gasped as her heart did cartwheels. "What happened to casual?!"

"Almost two years of watching both of you make puppy eyes at each other," her friend retorted. "Now let's get on with it," she said as she pushed Eddie forward.

The pair were only about fifteen feet away when Renzulli turned sideways on his stool and spotted them coming. He was certainly feeling a little buzzed this evening and raised a glass to greet them as he shouted loudly over the noisy crowd, "Walsh, Eddie!"

At that very second, a petite brunette dressed in a herringbone plaid vest, riding jodhpurs and boots skittered in front of them as she headed towards the bar. Eddie recognized her instantly and wished that a hole would open up underneath her own feet and suck her away before the inevitable happened. Addison paused with a confused expression on her face as she looked at Renzulli. "It's Addie," she corrected, "and I'm sorry, do I know you?" she asked before reaching over and giving Jamie a big bear hug from behind before he could move. "Surprise!" she added in his ear.

Surprise was an unequivocal understatement. Jamie turned around on his stool only to be greeted by one enthusiastically smiling face and three shocked ones. "Addison," he managed to choke out, "and Eddie… Walsh? What… what are you all doing here?" he asked as a rapid flush had already hit his cheeks and Renzulli was certainly not drunk enough to miss that. No wonder the kid hadn't been too upset about the prospect of not being in the car with Janko… he'd been busy during his time off, and this girl was a real looker, although at the moment it seemed to him like Jamie might have just stopped breathing again. There was an uneasy silence before his old TO jumped in.

"Didn't I teach you any manners, Reagan? I think you've got some introductions to make," the older man gruffed, hoping to prod the kid on.

"Oh… ah, right," Jamie swallowed hard. He certainly hadn't been prepared for this. Little beads of sweat were starting to break out on his forehead. "Sarge, this is my, um, friend Addison Greene. She works over at St. Vic's... and Addie," he paused as his heart finally restarted and thumped harder. "This is Sergeant Renzulli, my boss and Kara Walsh and, um... Eddie Janko… they're officers out of the 12th too," he forced out before his face went numb again. _This is it,_ he thought, _I'm gonna wind up stroking out right after I got the high score on the test. Pity. Maybe John will put a memorial plaque up on the wall over there for me._

"Oh, of course!" Addie enthused. "I recognize you from the hospital," she said to Renzulli and then turned to look at Eddie. "And you were Jamie's partner the day he came into emergency. I remember the two of you from the waiting room when Dr. Holden sent me down there to bring the Commissioner back. We certainly had our hands full with this guy, didn't we?" she asked as she reached over to grab Jamie's arm. "He had us all worried to death that whole week."

To her credit and by some grace from above, Eddie's senses remained more fully intact during this encounter. She had Kara's hand squeezing her elbow hard and digging her nails in to keep her grounded as she painted on a smile and managed a "Nice to meet you again, Addison," all the while taking in the other woman's cute little mannerisms. She was instantly jealous of her petite little figure, fully evident in the skin tight pants and boots she was wearing.

"Can I get anyone else... a drink?" Jamie asked hoarsely as his brain finally managed to form and dictate another complete sentence. To hell with Sunday dinner tomorrow, he was determined to be three sheets to the wind tonight after this.

"Oh, I can't stay," Addison said as she turned her attention back to him. "I was only able to push back my riding lesson for a half hour. Gotta get up to the stables; good old Hector won't saddle himself! I just wanted to come by and check to see how you did on the test!"

"Kid's a real trooper," Renzulli informed her as he slapped Jamie a bit harder than necessary across the back again. Poor guy still looked like he might need a little CPR and the older man kinda felt sorry for him. "Odds say he aced it."

"Awesome!" Addie raved as she reached over and gave Jamie a quick kiss on the lips. "That's my guy! I've gotta run though. I'll see you tomorrow at eleven, okay! Bye everyone!" she waved as she turned to go. "Great meeting you all!" she called over her shoulder before disappearing out of the room.

It seemed like an eternity before Jamie finally dared to raise an eyebrow and slowly look over to meet Eddie's stare. There were no words before her eyes filled and she turned to rush out of the room.

"Nice, Reagan," Kara muttered coldly with contempt as she crossed her arms and tapped her foot. By the looks of it he was not going to be a very popular guy back at the precinct any longer.

"I'm going," he muttered as he took his leave and followed Eddie's path out of the room before turning for one last defense. "But this is not all my fault."

"Eddie and Addie," Renzulli smirked with a chuckle as he amused himself with his wit and watched his old boot disappear to try to catch a tiger by her tail. "Didn't think the kid had it in him," he remarked to Walsh and raised his glass, "Salud!"

Jamie flung the front door open and spotted her halfway down the block marching along and ran to catch up to her. "Eddie, wait!" he said as he pulled on her arm to turn her. "What was that all about?" he demanded. "Why were you here?"

" _Me?_ " she gasped. "Why was _I_ here? That was _me_ being supportive of _my partner_ for the past two years! That was _me_ coming to congratulate you on nailing your big _cop_ test at a _cop_ bar!" she said as her eyes flashed and the tears restarted.

" _Supportive?_ God, isn't that rich?" he laughed and shook his head a little... his eyes were watery now too, but there was also anger and disappointment fully evident. A lot of emotions had been bottled up for the past month and beyond and were primed for release. "Funny, I think I could have used some of that a little while ago, _partner,_ when you vanished for three weeks. Where were _you_ then? Huh?" he asked, continuing when he didn't get an answer. "Not one visit after I got discharged? I thought..." he started and then paused with a tight throat. "I thought that right before my accident that we were maybe ready to change things up. That's why I signed up for the damn test in the first place. But then I got sick, and I really needed someone and you completely disappeared just like Syd…" he paused, overwhelmed a bit himself with that revelation as he looked away. "Like everyone else. I can't go through that again, Eddie. What was I supposed to think?"

There was a long pause while Eddie gathered her thoughts. "I guess I was afraid," she finally admitted. The two of them had come to a halt near a stone wall and she stopped and hopped up to sit on it and stare back down at the ground. Her knees were weak now.

"Afraid of what?!" he demanded in exasperation as he stood in front of her.

"Your family… don't you get it? Reagan, your dad's my boss! I couldn't just invite myself over there... to his house… not without making it look like there was something between us. He was so upset that day at the hospital, I mean he seemed calm and everything, but a really _scary calm_ at the same time, you know? He barely made eye contact with us… and I was afraid that he blamed me for you getting sick when he just dismissed me like that."

"Eddie," Jamie said softly as he continued to shake his head. He knew how imposing his father could be and had guessed this might have been part of it, but at that point it was little consolation; the past few weeks had been life-altering. "I mean if you can't get beyond this fear you have of authority figures… of _that_ particular authority figure especially… well then how is anything between us ever supposed to work? It's not like that's gonna change anytime soon. My family's not going away. I just wish you would realize that he can be the Police Commissioner and my dad too." He stopped and whispered the part that hurt the most, "You know I would have been there every _single_ day if you'd been hurt… no matter who I had to face down… no one would have kept me away. But now I don't feel like I have that from you of all people, and that's really hard for me to accept. This time I needed you, and you weren't there."

"And Addison was?" she asked in a small voice. He was absolutely right, and she knew it already. If he had stayed away when she needed him it would have disappointed her to the core and broken her heart too.

"Yeah, I mean for most of it," he admitted. "Her older sister, Angie, was engaged to my brother Joe before… before he died, so I guess maybe having that familiar face there really helped. That day I got sick… it happened to be her first day on the job at St. Vic's with Dr. Holden. She just moved here from Portland. I knew her way back you know, from before so she stayed with me the whole time… days I think until they got things completely under control. I was scared Janko… the feeling like you can't breathe…" he paused as the fear he'd felt resurfaced and tightened in his chest. "It's like you're drowning over and over and about the worst thing ever. It was hard to take, and she was there to help me through it."

"Are you serious with her?" Eddie asked, still not making eye contact and nervously chewing her lip. So Addison was the one with the home field advantage after all… she already had an intimate history with the Reagans… something that was Eddie's biggest downfall as her own family life was not anything she was proud of and had been a major cause behind her authority issues in the first place.

"Serious?" he asked as he turned and sat down next to her. He gave a heavy sigh as he thought about that; the truth was he didn't even know. Addie was cute and funny, but maybe too cute and Eddie still held his heart if he was honest. Everything was so mixed up now. "We've just been seeing each other like that for a little while. Serious enough to be a wedding date next weekend, I guess... not looking beyond that yet. I mean it's been fun going out and trying some new things… you know, taking someone out on some real dates. Not just dinner or drinks after work at cop bars because no one else can know that we like each other. She's got a weird sense of humor and this uncanny knack for discovering things around the city that I've never even given a second thought." He paused before letting the final shoe drop. "She's coming to Sunday dinner tomorrow."

"Wow, that's a pretty big step, huh?" Eddie asked sadly, wishing desperately that she had the nerve this Addison did to walk into the Reagan family like that, seemingly without a care in the world.

"Yeah, it is," he agreed. "I didn't even think about it when I asked her you know, the words just came out and she said yes before I even realized what I did. That's the way it has to be for us, and right now it's not. You don't trust me when I tell you this thing with my family is not the major barricade you think it is."

"I know," she said softly as she took his hand. "That first day you came back this week, I wanted to go out with you after work so we could get that chance to… define our relationship," she paused. "So I guess I'll do that now. Remember that night in the bar when you came to find me before taking that lady doctor out on a date?" Jamie nodded, suddenly focused on where this was going. "I _was_ jealous of her, Reagan. Too afraid to lose you as a partner to admit it then, too insecure with myself to do anything about it... but I was so incredibly jealous and secretly happy when you broke it off with her," Eddie confessed.

Jamie soaked in what he had just heard. "You want to know... why I stopped seeing her?" He was speaking slowly. "She... she wasn't you," he admitted with a small laugh before pausing. "But I don't know that about Addie…" he added sadly. "I just can't say the same thing yet. Maybe I'll wind up saying that you're not her. I can't seem to figure out what to think right now and I'm sorry for that. Please don't be mad at her for coming here today because she really had no idea it would upset anyone. She's not like that at all."

"So what about us? Where do we go from here?" Eddie asked as she finally found the nerve to look up at his face. She saw a lot of disappointment and regret written there. Maybe things had gotten stagnant and comfortable between them, at least with her. She had taken it for granted that all would just go back to normal once he came back to work. If she had just bucked up things would totally be different right now. "I mean, Jamie, we won't be partners in the car anymore. You won't even be at the same precinct. We won't be breaking any rules. Maybe I won't feel so insecure."

"Well then that's going to be up to you to figure out, Janko," Jamie replied. A few short weeks ago he would have never imagined in a million years that he would have walked away from her at this moment, but that's exactly what he did after giving her hand a little squeeze before getting up. "Eddie, a lot of things are changing for me. I just feel like I've been stuck for a while and I need to move forward somehow… I need something more. I'd really like you to be part of that, but we're not in such a good place right now... not after what's just happened. I've got to know that you'd be there for me no matter what without worrying about what someone else will think before we can go any further. I hope you can understand that," he said softly before moving off down the street and hailing a cab to take him back home.

She watched him go, sadly knowing he was completely right but without a clue as to how to fix things between them now.

* * *

 _Aw, poor Eddie. That was a big swing and a miss at a low sinking curve ball. Strike two. Next up, Sunday at the Reagan's before the big dinner as the rest of the family weighs in on what's happening in Jamie's life as they always do!_


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"So where's the kid?" Danny asked he pilfered some roasted potatoes from the serving platter while Erin was preparing to plate this week's roast before Sunday's dinner. "It's getting late."

"Stop that!" she chastised as she smacked his hand with the large serving spoon.

"What? I'm hungry! Besides, he missed church this morning too. Must have really tied one on after the big test yesterday. I don't know what he was thinking, trying to sit for that so soon after he was sick. No way he could pull that off, not even with that big over-inflated Harvard brain of his."

"Jamie can do anything he wants to, Danny," Erin defended. "Especially something like that. It's right in his wheelhouse. He'd be halfway to having his own firm by now if he had only stuck with law."

"If he's got a hangover this morning it has a lot more to do with what happened at O'Doul's afterwards, from what I've heard," Henry remarked cryptically with a small grin. It may have been many years since he was the city's top cop, but that didn't mean he didn't have any connections. He'd been told about his youngest grandson's little encounter at the bar but there was no way he was going to share the details and give Erin and Danny cannon fodder to cut the boy down with today, not when it had been so long since Jamie had felt comfortable enough to bring a guest to dinner. "Besides, I have it on good authority that we need to set an extra place at the table today."

"Jamie's bringing someone?" Danny looked around the kitchen shocked. He hated to be the last one to know. "Don't tell me it's Addison!" he griped as he snuck another potato and settled his glare on Linda. He had been completely against his wife's idea of encouraging the two of them to see each other, but she had gone and done it anyway. "She's like what? Twelve? And Angie's baby sister! That's not right! Jamie's too much of a goodie two shoes for that ever to work. You're just setting him up for another big disappointment!"

"I thought they had chemistry," Linda defended. "It's about time that boy got a life, especially one outside of the NYPD. He's been alone too long now."

"What about his partner? Janko. I always thought there was something there," Danny retorted.

"Yeah well, I guess we all misjudged that," Erin added with more than a little venom as she finished up with the platter and put it back in the oven to keep warm until Jamie arrived. She had known for some time that her little brother had strong feelings for that woman, ever since the conversation in her office last fall where he had as much as admitted it directly. "Some kind of partner, I mean she barely even bothered to check in on him when he got sick," she muttered to herself and promised a little sisterly retribution if she ever ran into that she-wolf Eddie Janko again as Frank walked into the kitchen and everyone else clammed up.

"Did I interrupt something?" he asked as he looked around and read the mood of the room.

"Not at all, Francis," Henry answered. "We were just talking about Jamie and the sergeant's exam yesterday. Any news on the results yet? Word is your son is the odds on favorite for the high score, twenty to one. I've got a good wager down with the guys from the 1-5."

"Pop," Frank admonished. "You know we won't hear anything about that until the end of the week at the earliest. They've got several thousand tests to process."

"Oh come on now," his father replied. "You could have asked for his to be pulled first if you had any chutzpah. I did it for you. _Third,_ might I add," he frowned with contempt. "Even with that damn memory of yours you were only third that year and you were already a detective! Good thing you stayed in that division! I lost a bundle! Ernie Talbot took first. His father was one of my chiefs. I never heard the end of that until he dropped over at his desk with a massive heart attack the year before I retired."

"Not even going there," Frank remarked with an equal frown. "We'll know when we all know."

"Well is it true at least that the top mark is getting an immediate bump to the 3-5?" Henry persisted. Danny's eyes darted up and lit on his father. This was the first time he was hearing about such a thing, and that precinct was located directly in between the 12th and his own house at the 5-4. If what his grandfather said was correct and his little brother had somehow aced the test, even with limited prep time, he would be appointed as a sergeant in the neighboring territory and basically outrank him within those boundaries. That fact stuck in Danny's craw; the detectives out of the 5-4 had been covering a lot of the duties of their brethren in that other squad lately as it seemed like half of the platoon had aged out and retired in the last several months. Now if they rolled up to a mutual scene he was going to have to listen to Jamie give orders. _That would so not go over well,_ he thought miserably.

"That I can confirm. We need some immediate restaffing there," Frank answered as he caught his oldest son's eyes. He could read his thoughts just as clearly as if they had been spoken out loud. Danny was going to have a really hard time with this transition so he may as well give him a little time to come to grips with the possibility. He had every reason to believe that his youngest would nail down that position if he had been able to put his mind to it the last few weeks, but Jamie had seemed a little distracted. As sharp as his own memory was, and he would never admit to Henry that he had purposefully blown a few answers on that exam all those years ago just to throw off the wagers, he knew that Jamie would never do that and the kid had been able to best him honestly at games with his match cards by the time he was three years old. Frank was dreading the inevitable whispers about cheating that would surface when those full results came in by Friday. He had no doubt that Jamie's name would be on the top of that list with at least a near perfect mark.

"Well, that's just great," Danny muttered to himself as his focus completely shifted away from thoughts about Jamie's personal life to their relationship on the job. He'd never had to play second fiddle to anyone in the family with the exception of his father before as Henry had retired prior to his entrance in the academy. The thought had just left a huge sour pit in his stomach.

"No need to worry about it today," Frank said as he hurriedly changed the subject. This dinner was going to be difficult enough although he would never allow anyone else to know just how uncomfortable it made him seeing his youngest together with this Greene girl, as nice and bubbly as she was. He had been completely flabbergasted that day at the hospital when she had come to the waiting room to take him back to see Jamie. For him it was just too close to watching Joe and Angie together again, but he knew that was an unfair burden to place on the younger pair. Still between the looks and mannerisms shared between the couples it just drove home the fact that his middle boy was really gone all over again and it ripped at his heart so much that he had a hard time calling her by name yet, afraid that he would slip up and say Angie instead. "Jamie and his friend should be here any moment, and I trust that we will all be on our best behavior," he commanded nonetheless as he focused on his two older children. It registered as a direct order with them and they both sighed and dropped their eyes. "Yes, Dad," was the unanimous reply.

"Good. Now let's get the table set and someone pick out a nice red wine to go with Erin's beautiful roast. We have some things to celebrate today."

###

Jamie couldn't help but feel better as Addie's infectious smile greeted him at her apartment door when he arrived to escort her to dinner. He'd spent half the night awake and nervously running through the talk he'd had with Eddie more than a thousand times over in his head. She wanted more too she'd implied, not only with her words but also with her actions, and he had snuffed it out. _What the hell's wrong with me?_ he wondered. _Just a little while ago I would have killed to have the exact same conversation with her and now I've blown that up too._ Those thoughts were immediately pushed back as Addie reached up and pulled him in for a passionate kiss. "So glad to see you, Sergeant Reagan," she teased after they finally broke apart and she locked and closed the door behind them.

Jesus, that was nice and a little more unexpectedly forward than he had anticipated. Up to this point their interactions had been strictly limited to a gentlemanly first base, and Jamie felt now like Addie was maybe looking to steal second. "Wow," he grinned as his eyes lit up. "That certainly woke me up."

"My pleasure," she smiled as she grabbed his hand. Despite being young and bubbly, Addison Greene was no fool, and she had caught the look on Eddie's face at the bar the night before and Jamie's uncomfortable reaction. She'd believed him when he'd told her that he hadn't been involved with anyone for some time now, with confirmation from Linda, but she could sense the tension and had decided that she would do her best to shore up their relationship as quickly as possible now to see what became of it. She was finding herself more and more intrigued with him. "So," she added as they walked down the stairs, "are there any ground rules I should know about for one of these famous Reagan dinners?"

"Oh," he laughed as he caught his breath, "just take everything you hear with a grain of salt and don't bring up football unless you're a Jets fan."

"Damn," she said as she stopped abruptly and looked at him with a serious frown, "Oregon Ducks all the way. Season ticket holder, not that it will do me much good anymore. Is that a deal breaker?"

"Hmm," he started as he pulled her in for another quick kiss. The first one had been rather intoxicating. "I think we can let that slide since it's college ball."

"Good!" she exclaimed as they walked out front of the building and up to his car. "I was afraid for a second there that the rappelling lessons I bought for us would go to waste."

"Rappelling?" he asked nervously and pulled her to a stop as he opened the door. If there was one thing that Jamie Reagan was afraid of it had to be heights. His knees buckled a little at the thought of climbing up somewhere above the ground and jumping off into space holding onto nothing more than a rope. The one time he had overcome it was the day he had chased the perp that had mugged his grandfather across that roof, and if anything that memory still turned his stomach for more reasons than the three-day rip he had earned because of it.

"Oh, don't worry! It wasn't that expensive!" Addie babbled on without noticing his immediate reserve. "I found an awesome Groupon deal with that Manhattan Stunt Company we talked about the other night. They have a climbing gym too. I even ordered our own ropes and harnesses so that we could go out by ourselves anytime after that. The Mohonk Preserve has cliffs that include like a thousand climbing routes along five linear miles. I thought we might spend some weekends out there this fall just hanging around," she chuckled at her own wit.

"Cliffs. Sounds great," Jamie swallowed hard and his heart fluttered a little at the notion as he closed the door and made his way over to the driver's side, "but I'd rather face down three armed perps in an alley with an empty water gun," he muttered to himself before getting in and driving off towards his father's house in Brooklyn. _Never a dull moment with Addie,_ he sighed.

* * *

 _Next up, Renzulli and Jamie are back in the car together and another very important character we all know and love from the first series makes a reappearance!_


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"Just like old times, eh Harvard? You behind the wheel and me sitting over here telling you where to go?" Renzulli smiled from his perch on the passenger side of the RMP.

"Yeah, Sarge," Jamie replied from behind his dark aviator glasses. It was Monday and his first official tour with his old TO in ages. No matter what, it was going to be bittersweet for him to leave the 12th if the call came; it had been his house since his first day out of the academy and Renzulli was a big part of the reason he became the cop he was today. "Nothing beats it... except maybe having a prettier partner next to me. No offense."

"About that," the older man pried as Jamie pulled the cruiser away from the precinct and turned left at the corner towards their assigned area. "Damn, kid… I never dreamed I'd live to see the day there would be two women fighting over you. I thought I was going to have to call another bus for you at the bar the other night. I mean you can tell me now since you're halfway out the door anyway. C'mon you and Janko, never?"

"Never, Sarge," Jamie answered with carefully concealed regret. Despite the circumstances it felt wrong to admit anything to the man who had previously called him out on his feelings for Eddie and threatened to separate them if necessary. "She didn't even come to see me once the whole time I was recovering at my dad's house."

"You numbnut," Renzulli spat in disbelief. "That's because she's scared to death of your family." Sometimes this kid was just too dense for his own good, and Eddie was like one of his own. All the young officers that came up under him at the 12th were.

"Well, then what good does that do me, Sarge?" Jamie answered with a bit of growing frustration as he scanned the street ahead for any signs of trouble, no longer worried about hiding his interest in his former partner. That appeared to be water under the bridge at this point. "It's not like I can avoid them or they're going to go away anytime soon."

"Maybe if she got to know them a little…"

"Don't see that happening in the near future," the younger officer replied. "Besides, I'm seeing Addie now, she's nice and…"

"...looks like a smokin' hot cheerleader," Renzulli grinned and finished the thought for him. "Not that I can blame you, it's just I never picked you as one to rob the cradle, Reagan."

"She's 23!" Jamie defended, thinking back to yesterday's dinner when Danny had pretty much implied the same thing in a low whisper while the two of them were in the kitchen clearing dishes, with the added jab that Addison was the virtual twin of her older sister… Joe's girl Angie, as if that somehow twisted everything into something that was just plain wrong. It did succeed in making Jamie even more uncomfortable with the comparison and he noticed that his own father had not called Addison by name once. "I'm only six and a half years older than her."

"Six… _and a half._ Got it," the sergeant chided, "those missing few months really change things up. It would be totally wrong if you'd said seven."

Jamie was trying in vain to formulate an appropriate comeback when an old cream-colored and rusted Ford Explorer blew through a clear red light in front of them headed north on Wilshire. Renzulli hit the lights and siren and called into Central as the pair took off in pursuit of the speeding vehicle. Jamie skillfully dodged slowing traffic to pull in behind the SUV just four blocks up and he watched with some relief as the driver ahead slowed and swerved off to stop at the side of the road. For some reason he had the sense that this traffic stop would be anything but ordinary. "I don't like the looks of this guy. Watch my back, Sarge," he commented as he carefully exited the RMP and approached the front of the vehicle while Renzulli stayed to the right to provide backup.

"License and registration," he ordered as he came in view of the driver, a gruff-looking twenty-something man with arms littered in tattoos. There was a young woman sitting next to him in the passenger seat, and Jamie's heart dropped as he caught sight of a car seat and a small moving form in the middle of the back. The fool was driving like a maniac with an innocent little child in the car with him.

"Carl Richardson," Jamie read from the license after it was handed to him. "You in a hurry to go somewhere today, Carl? Enough to blow through a red light back there?"

"No, sir," Richardson replied. He's been through the drill enough times in the past to take an instant read of Jamie's face and know that he wasn't going to sweet talk his way out of anything today. Another few points and his license would be suspended again. The woman had other ideas though. She eagerly rolled down her window after glancing back and spotting Renzulli.

"Uncle Tony!" she called.

Carl couldn't believe his luck once he'd heard her. He smiled as he realized there was hope in getting out of this ticket today after all.

Jamie watched the man with continued suspicion as his partner approached the passenger-side door. "Jayne," Renzulli remarked with a heavy sigh. "What are you doing back in the city with this dirtbag?" he asked.

"We were just headed over to Queens to visit Brian," she answered sweetly. "He's so grateful to you for helping him get the appointment to the police academy this fall. Dad would be so proud of him," she added, knowing exactly how to play the cards in her hands. "Carl was giving us a ride since we didn't have any other way to get there."

"Jesus," Renzulli griped as he took a glance in the back seat. "You let him drive that way with the baby in the car?"

"I'm sorry, sir," Richardson piped up. "The little runt was crying, and I missed the light when I turned around to see what was wrong."

"Jayne," Renzulli said as he tried to ignore the man's comment. At this point the sergeant considered the piece of scum lucky that he had not found himself staring down the barrel of a loaded duty weapon. "I thought you promised me you would stay clean and out of trouble."

"I am Uncle Tony!" she insisted. "Ever since I had Kaylin. You can ask my parole officer. Not one problem until today…" she added suggestively.

"Alright," he conceded as he frowned and shook his head. "As long as Carl here comes back without any outstanding warrants, we'll let this slide, but this is the last time Jayne Marie Jeffers," he admonished strongly. "Your dad would have cracked both of your heads together if he would have pulled the two of you over for driving like that with his granddaughter in the car! Reagan!" he beckoned. "Can I have a word over here with you?"

"Sure, Sarge," Jamie answered as he turned to walk over to the other side of the vehicle and join his partner on the sidewalk.

"This is a tough one, kid," Renzulli said in a low voice as they stood back from the old SUV. "I'm gonna go back in the car and run his license and registration. That's my old partner Bill Jeffers' daughter in there. She got in some trouble dealing a little weed a while back and ended up on probation after serving a few months. If they find out she's been hanging out with the wrong crowd they'll take the little girl away from her. Bill passed last year from cancer. Worked the pile back when the towers came down and was never right after."

"I remember. Sorry to hear that," Jamie replied, listening carefully.

"Jayne's got no one left except for her twin brother Brian. He's slated to start the academy this fall, and I don't want to mess that up by having him pissed off at me for getting his sister in trouble. This is the last pass she's ever going to get from me though," he said, shaking his head. "I promised Bill I would try to look out for the two of them when he was gone but there's only so much I can do." Renzulli looked over at Jamie to confirm that the younger officer was okay with the plan. He knew if there was one thing that set the kid off, it was people taking unnecessary chances with children.

"If that's what you think is best, Sarge," Jamie conceded evenly. He knew his old TO wouldn't be granting the two of them any courtesies if he didn't think it was the right thing to do.

"Good, now do me a favor and go check out that kid in the back seat and make sure she's okay. She's not even two years old yet," Renzulli whispered before turning back to speak to Jayne again. "Officer Reagan is going to perform a thorough child safety seat check while I look up these records, Jayne," he said sternly. "You pull any more of this crap and CPS is going to come and take that little girl away. I'll see to it myself," he warned.

Jamie stepped up and opened the rear passenger-side door, keeping a careful eye on Richardson in his peripheral vision. He didn't trust the guy at all, no matter what his record came back as. He was greeted with the sight of a beautiful tiny blond-haired child with amazing big blue enchanting eyes. "What a pretty little girl, ma'am," he addressed Jayne. "You wouldn't want anything to happen to her, right? Slow the car down, please."

"I promise, officer," Jayne replied nicely while offering Carl a snarky sideways look.

Jamie smiled at Kaylin as he approached. "Hi baby girl," he said softly as he tried to make contact without scaring her. Her eyes were wide open now and fixed on him. He gritted his teeth though as he discovered that not only wasn't the car seat installed properly, but no one had even bothered to buckle it in at all. In a crash situation the poor little one wouldn't have stood a chance. He quickly secured the seat correctly and did his best to swallow his anger as he deferred to Renzulli's read on the situation. With a firm tug on the belts to double check his work and another smile at the baby, he backed out of the car and closed the door. Something about that little girl tugged massively at his heart, and he had to admit that his job just plain sucked at times like this. "Make sure that seat stays fastened," he warned coldly as he looked into the front window. "If I find you driving around like that with her again, nothing Uncle Tony can say or do will stop me from arresting you for child endangerment," he hissed as Renzulli came up from the back.

"All clear, Jayne," he said, handing over the papers. "This time... partner or no partner if I catch you on the wrong side of anything again I'm going to make sure you face the maximum I can throw at you. Understood?" he growled as he looked at her companion. "And as for you, knucklehead, I'll make it my personal mission to hunt you down if either one of these two get so much as a splinter while they're with you. Capice?"

"Yes, sir," Richardson answered with just the hint of a smirk on his face as he started the car and pulled slowly away from the curb.

"Damn kids!" Renzulli barked and threw his hands up in the air as he watched the old distinctive vehicle drive away into traffic. "If they were mine I would have told them to go pound sand a long time ago!"

"I know you're trying to help," Jamie commented as he slid back into the driver's seat and removed his hat. "But you're not doing that little girl any favors. She'd be better off if Child Protective Services came in and found her a foster home."

"We like to think that, don't we?" Renzulli replied, still steaming as he crawled in on his side of the vehicle and closed the door. "It makes it easier to sleep at night when we clock off from this job. Fact is, a lot of those kids fall through the cracks all the time, you know that as well as I do. At least I can keep a bit of an eye on her this way. I swear if me and the missus were younger we'd take her in ourselves in a heartbeat. Jayne doesn't even know who the father is. The kid deserves to have a dad, you know what I mean?"

"Yeah, I do," Jamie agreed as he sighed while Renzulli called into Central and put them back in service. He wondered if men had biological clocks like the famed ones that women were supposed to possess. The whole time while he had been out sick and it had appeared like he was looking at the end to another promising relationship, he thought about how far away he still was from a family of his own. It irked him to the nth degree that there were people like Jayne and her scummy friend Carl who took such a precious gift as that little child for granted. "I can't believe you were willing to give them a pass, though… I mean they showed no regard for her. That's not exactly in the sergeant's rule book, is it? Or did I miss that page?" he added sarcastically.

"We all bend the rules sometimes, Harvard," the older man admitted. "Especially when it comes to looking after your partner, and it doesn't matter if they're no longer here with us. Partners always come first, even when they're not in the car with you anymore. Remember that, kid... that's rule number one."

* * *

 _So circumstances bring Kaylin into Jamie's life a little earlier this time. Wonder how that might play out? Remember the butterfly? Some wings have been flapped in a different direction now. Next up, the much anticipated test results come in and Jamie pitches one in slow and easy over the middle of the plate to give Eddie another big chance to come around. Does she connect and put it out of the park or is the game over?_


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

DCPI Garrett Moore was in a jovial mood as he stepped into the elevator and pushed the button for the fourteenth floor at 1PP. His cursory review of the materials for this afternoon's meeting with the mayor showed no major sticking points, and he was anticipating using the rest of the day to clean up the few minor items left on his schedule. If he played his cards right he would be home in plenty of time to catch the Mets doubleheader on the flat screen tonight. He was practically humming as the bell dinged and he walked off on the top floor making his way towards Frank's office and past Detective Abigail Baker's desk.

"Good morning, Garrett," the Commissioner's assistant greeted him as he neared the office door, "he's been waiting for you."

"I bet," Garrett thought as he put his hand on the knob and entered the expansive office. He knew his boss would have been in at the crack of dawn to review the reports again. He slipped his glasses down to the edge of his nose and scanned the messages on his phone, seeing nothing of importance as he sat down and looked across the desk. His smile was somewhat tempered by the pensive look on Frank's face. "So what's up?" he asked. "I ran those numbers this morning and nothing jumped; everything looks in line with our projections."

"Yes they do," Frank replied sounding unconvinced, sitting back in his chair and pushing his glasses back.

"So being right is now somehow bad?" Garrett questioned. He was perplexed and could see his grand plan for the day slowly circling the drain. Mayor Poole was due to arrive in less than three hours.

"No," Frank admitted, "There's just something that's... off. Can't put my finger on it and I've been staring at these pages for hours." He sighed and took his glasses off to rub his forehead. Maybe he was just tired and looking for a problem where there was none. It was too early in the day for a drink but he was tempted anyway. He put the folder down on the desk and pushed it away. "We'll run with it when Poole gets here."

"Frank, everything all right at home?..." Garrett started, growing a little concerned before reaching down to look at his phone which had just buzzed with a new text. "Uh, oh," he sighed. "Nix that, we have a big problem here."

"Are you going to tell me what it is?" Frank asked irritably although he already had a pretty good idea what the burr in his DCPI's saddle pad might be.

"Sergeant's test results are in," Garrett revealed. "Care to guess who has the highest score? And by that I mean the highest score ever recorded in the history of the department? Nearly perfect."

"Nearly… and that's a problem because…" Frank started as he sat back and brought his hand up carefully to rub his mustache; he couldn't help but allow a small satisfied grin to escape the corner of his mouth. _That's my boy, Jamie,_ he thought.

"That! That's gonna be the problem Frank!" Garrett exclaimed. "The press is going to catch wind of this, and you won't be able to help yourself when you answer their questions… you've got a look like the cat that just killed the canary. Everyone is going to assume that he had some kind of unfair advantage. It'll turn into a scandal."

"Oh, relax! Let them question it, Garrett!" Frank scoffed. Sometimes he wondered if his DCPI got a bonus for every molehill he turned into a mountain. "They can look at his transcripts since he was in diapers if they want to challenge that score. He got one C on a science test in his whole life. You can put that in the press release too if you feel the need to deflate his achievement. He deserves this, and I'm not going to ask him to hide behind a wall just because he happens to be my son." He paused and pushed his glasses back. "Now, let's get on with the schedule and tackle some real business before this afternoon."

It was just after two o'clock when the meeting with the mayor and his planners finally wrapped up and Baker was busy escorting them out. Garrett quickly excused himself and returned to his office after gathering up his folders. The presentation had gone smoothly for both sides and all the financials looked to be in order, however, Frank still had a nagging feeling that he was missing something obvious. He slipped a copy of the paperwork back into his briefcase, intent on reviewing it with fresh eyes at home over the weekend. Right now it was time to share some good news.

Frank smiled and hit Jamie's speed dial number then hung up before leaving a message when it went directly to voicemail. He put the phone down on the desk and stared at it while his fingers drummed a nervous rhythm next to it. He knew that Jamie was still on shift with Renzulli, so not likely to answer a personal call unless they were on break, but the test scores were due to be posted online shortly and he selfishly wanted to be the one to break the news to his son before he found out by some sterile notations listed on a webpage. Agitated, he picked it up and dialed another number.

###

Jamie and Renzulli rolled up as the second car in on a 10-52 domestic dispute call. They found the situation had already been contained as Wilson emerged from the house with the suspect handcuffed while Eddie was busy taking the report from the unsettled girlfriend. Everything looked to be well in hand so the pair elected to stay back at the vehicle and let the first unit finish up. Jamie pulled out his logbook and reviewed some of his notes from an earlier call while Renzulli used the time to walk up the block a way and check in with some of the other patrols via radio. Wilson secured the prisoner in the back of his car and strolled over to offer a report to his duty sergeant. "Rough one?" Jamie asked as they waited while Renzulli was still preoccupied with some other issue.

"Nah," Wilson answered. "Creep just violated the protection order she had against him. Walked in the front door and insisted he was staying for dinner. Didn't even put up a fight when we showed up." He glanced over to see that his partner had finished and was making her way over. "You hear anything about the test results yet?" he asked, figuring if anyone had the inside scoop, their last name would be Reagan.

"Not a word," Jamie replied as he thoughtfully watched Eddie approach. Things had been rather distant between them all week, but the truth was that despite everything that had gone down recently and what he had told Renzulli earlier, Jamie still missed her terribly as much as he had tried to push those feelings behind him. He was just about to pull her aside and ask if she wanted to join him for a drink after work to talk when his radio squawked in his ear with an order to call in, "12-David, 10-3 extension 119."

He sighed as he reached up to his shoulder to squeeze the button to reply while his other hand slipped into his pocket to grab his phone, "12-David, Central. 10-4." A quick glance down showed a missed call from his father. He swiped it to redial, knowing that a 119 was Reagan family code for drop everything and call dad immediately. All regular NYPD extensions had four numbers. Frank picked up on the first ring.

"Busy, son?" he asked.

"No, not really, in between calls right now. What's up?" Jamie asked absentmindedly, his mind still focused on Eddie as he watched her give a small half-hearted wave before climbing in the car with Wilson and driving off. Another opportunity missed, damn it.

"A little birdie was in my office before cackling about someone with my last name having a nearly perfect score on a certain test."

Jamie leaned back against the hood of the RMP and smiled. He had purposefully marked the last answer wrong just so that there was still a slim chance someday that another candidate could best his result; he figured he owed that to John O'Doul. "Nearly perfect, huh? And that wouldn't be a big overstuffed birdie in a suit with gray hair who's probably flipping out now about what the press is gonna say over this, would it?"

"One and the same," Frank admitted as he rocked back in his chair and crossed one leg over the other. "Proud of you, son," he smiled. "It's really quite an accomplishment and another big feather in your cap. I expect you'll be over tonight so your grandfather and I can congratulate you in person. There's going to be a ceremony and press conference here at 1PP on Monday morning. The top three scores will be awarded their stripes and gold shields immediately. You'll be assigned to the 3-5. The other two have posts in Queens and Staten Island."

"Thanks for letting me know, Dad," Jamie grinned as he watched Renzulli turn and walk his way. "I'll be there tonight, but it might be a bit later. I've got a few people here at the 12th that I need to tell first."

###

"Alright, settle down all you numskulls!" Renzulli called across the bar to a room full of off-duty members of his 12th platoon as he raised his glass. "I've got something to say here to the two new sergeant candidates. To our own Mark Wilson who's been at the 12th for the past five years, you're a damn fine cop and it's about time you took the plunge after a decade on the job. With your good score, whatever precinct you end up at when your appointment comes through will be lucky to have ya. And to my old partner," he continued as he turned towards Jamie. "I always knew you were too good for this place, Harvard. Well done, kid. Congratulations on being the all-time high score and all the best for future success over at the 3-5. We're gonna miss having your mug around here every day. Try not to make us look too bad when we run into you out on the street, eh? Salud!"

"Salud!" The room replied in unison as everyone raised their glass. Jamie had been sporting a 100-watt smile all evening and Eddie had not been able to keep her eyes off of him, although she had maintained her distance until he was suddenly there beside her, laughing as he pulled her into the hallway next to the coat racks so they could be alone.

"Hey," he said as he turned her around to look at her. His eyes were dancing. "I've wanted to talk to you all day, Eddie. You gotta a minute?"

"Sure," she smiled back as her heart stuttered a little. It had been a week since they had been this close to one another and his sudden appearance left her flushed and excited. There was no denying her feelings for him now.

"So, I'm getting my gold badge and stripes on Monday at a ceremony at 1PP," he said. "I'll be starting at the 3-5 right away. I didn't want to leave things, you know, the way they are between us when I go. I've really missed you."

"Me too," she admitted as she brought her arms forward to rest on his hips. They were so close now it was almost too much for her to bear. "But what about Addison?" she worried. She knew that Jamie was not the type to date multiple women at the same time. It just wasn't in his DNA.

"Just say the word, Eddie," Jamie sighed as he pulled her in even tighter. "I've been thinking about you all week… things with Addie, well they haven't gone that far yet and I don't want to lead anyone on. You know I'm not like that… I mean if we can work things out… if we can try…"

"I don't know what to do though," she admitted breathlessly. "I mean I don't know how to prove to you that I can handle things… handle us right now. I know that's really important to you." At this moment, Eddie was just about willing to do anything to show him that she was ready to support him... no matter what.

"Come with me tonight," Jamie pleaded as his eyes searched hers. "I'm headed over to my dad's right after this for a drink. It will just be him and my grandpa there. Just one drink."

Except that. She was ready for almost everything but that. Her heart fell.

Jamie instantly read the hesitation in her expression. He had thought long and hard about Renzulli's advice on giving her a chance to get to know the family and reasoned that this would be the perfect quiet, non-confrontational way to do it. A simple drink in the evening on a night filled with good news, something they did all the time after work… but she wasn't able to get past her anxiety on her own or willing to trust him to get her through it, and maybe she never would be. A new wave of soul-crushing disappointment washed over him and he let go of her and turned away, putting his arm up to lean against the wall. He bit back angry tears and shrugged his shoulder as she tried to reach up and touch him, shaking his head at her soft words without hearing them as he grabbed his coat and turned to leave.

"God, I just don't know what else to do!" he cried as his fist pounded the wall for good measure. "I guess this is really goodbye then, Janko," he muttered without another look and suddenly Eddie was left standing alone in the hallway, shocked once again at the unexpected turn of events as he disappeared through the front door and into the night. Jamison Reagan was truly gone, and Edit Janko did not know how she was going to handle that.

* * *

 _Strike three, Eddie. Tsk, tsk. You're making it hard on us Jamko fans. Stay strong! I know it's been a tough week for all of us! Not great timing for so much Jamie/Eddie angst but it will be worth it in the end. I promise! Now a big piece of the plot ties in from the original "Follow Your Heart" but the issue is a different type of heart problem this time around._

 _Since the next part of this is necessary for the storyline but a little redundant for FYH readers, **Tomorrow will be a BONUS CHAPTER day!** to move things along and the second one will be a biggie! Addie makes her move! Be sure to read both!_


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Frank Reagan shuffled into the kitchen at three o'clock in the morning. His mind would not let him rest again. At first he and Henry had been greatly anticipating celebrating his youngest's latest achievement last night, even stopping on the way home to pick up a fine bottle of single malt to commemorate the occasion, but that had all been erased by the look on his son's face when he'd walked in the door earlier that evening. The boy should have been on top of the world, but instead looked like someone had just kicked his puppy down the block. Not one to be forward about his private life, Jamie's conversation with his patriarchs had been brief, rather bare bones, but he had laid out the issues, finally confirming his feelings about Eddie and telling them about his latest encounter with her and his strategy to deal with things before taking a big hit of scotch and making his way up to his old bedroom at their urging and closing his door, shutting them out again.

Frank made a cup of decaf tea and sat down at the table. His briefcase was still sitting there where he had dropped it when he came home. He reluctantly pulled out his files and gazed at them again, not really focused on their content, but rather thinking about his son and all the things that had happened to him recently.

He was not surprised when Jamie padded softly into the kitchen a few minutes after him, still looking tired and drawn. "Hey, Dad," he greeted him while pouring himself some milk. "Figured Gramps would be down here with you."

"He worries about you, as do I."

"I know, and I'm sorry about last night. I needed some space to think," Jamie sighed as he sat down at the table across from his father. "I just wasn't expecting that kind of reaction from her I guess, not on top of everything else. The last six weeks… I don't even have words to describe how this has affected me."

"It has affected all of us deeply, Jamie," Frank stated. "And if this is just about her feeling uncomfortable about meeting me, please, you know I will help you figure out a way to solve that. We can work something out. You don't have to make any drastic decisions yet. I don't want you to lose someone that's so close to your heart over such a minor problem. Maybe I did come off as harsh that day at the hospital when you were first brought in. I know that I was upset and then seeing Addison just threw me for a complete loop… she looks just like, well…" he cleared his throat, not wanting to go further down that road as much as it still pained him. No need to add a further burden on his already troubled boy. "But I should have invited Eddie back as your partner to check on you instead of dismissing her like that. I can see now that she might have thought I was blaming her for your condition. Perhaps it wasn't my best day either."

Jamie's head came up, and he looked his father directly in the eye. "I know you didn't put her off intentionally, Dad. I do. She's got issues confronting authority figures that goes back to what happened to her own father. But it's not just all about that anymore. I thought I loved Eddie. I wanted to make a life with her... have a family too maybe, you know? That's why I was ready to break our partnership and take the sergeant's test, but when she disappeared for all that time when I was sick it just dredged up everything that happened with Sydney… it feels like the same situation, and I can't bring myself to go through that again. It's not all her fault. I have my own baggage and maybe that's too much for one relationship to overcome. I have a big career move to focus on right now and maybe it's better if I just look forward. Addison doesn't have the same hangups about the NYPD as Eddie. That might be for the best too. I can't seem to work it out with someone who's all tied up about the job. I just don't know how I really feel about Addie yet."

Frank looked at Jamie, saddened that some apparent mistiming and his own position as Commissioner were the greatest roadblocks for his son's happiness at the moment, yet at the same time he was flooded with immense pride for the man that sat across from him; no longer the boy he and Mary had raised together. If needed, he'd just have to deal with his own issues regarding Addison and move on… Jamie deserved nothing less. He smiled and let out a slow, deep breath, "Your mother and I tried to keep you away from this life, but we were wrong. You have a true gift for it, and you're probably the best out of all of us, honestly, myself included. I'm so proud of you, son. I'm sorry that it's my position holding you back with some things at this point, but you know I'll always support you however I can, no matter what you do."

"I know, Dad," Jamie said softly. "I'll be fine. I will… things will work out one way or another. I'm a big boy now," he smiled and added, "now how about we talk about something else before I get all choked up again? What are you working on? It looks like it's giving you fits."

Frank sighed, tilted his head and pushed the folder over with a small smile. "Maybe you can figure it out then Mr. Corporate Attorney. That was your specialty at Harvard, wasn't it? It's the department budget projections for next year. Everything came in spot on but something is off, I'm sure of it. I just can't put my finger on it and no one else sees anything wrong."

Jamie scanned the documents thoughtfully, "So you and the mayor agree on something major like this and it sends up red flags? Too easy, huh?"

"Yes, that's about it," Frank agreed.

"Hmm. Do you have the actual numbers from the last few years?" Jamie asked, clearly interested as he studied the material.

Frank considered his son carefully. Jamie had graduated at the top of his class at a prestigious Ivy League school; he could be anywhere today if had he stayed in law, yet the boy had spent the last five years following his heart; putting his life on the line as a rookie patrol officer with little recognition other than what the tabloid press had doled out because of who his father is. He deserved more, and now that he had made sergeant the 3-5 was going to be lucky to have him. Frank had no doubt that Jamie would help turn the troubled precinct around soon. He placed his hand down, closing the folder, "Jamie, it's late and this will keep until the morning. You need some rest if you're going to look good for Monday's ceremony and be prepared to take on a new position this week, okay? I think you also mentioned having a wedding to attend tonight with another certain someone? You've just gotten over being sick, don't burn your wick too short. We're going to figure this out, but speaking as your father, I think it's time for both of us to go back to bed."

Jamie smirked and looked up from the page, "Haven't heard that from you in a while, Pop. I am tired though. I'll see you in the morning, thanks for letting me stay over and talk."

"Anytime, sleep well, son."

"I'll try. Goodnight, Dad."

###

Saturday dawned hot and hazy once more, the type of morning where the air was dense and refused to move. As the sun rose the heat and humidity increased in intensity. Danny Reagan was cursing himself for taking his Jeep to run errands when the air conditioning failed to come on. With a house and two kids in private school, even a first grade detective's salary and Linda's nursing position did not allow for many extras. Danny would just have to deal with the heat for now, there were too many other things needing attention that trumped a minor auto repair.

He dutifully dropped off the dry cleaning and stopped at the market to pick up Sunday's roast as requested, knowing he needed to drive directly over to his father's house to deliver it before it spoiled. He parked the car in the driveway on the side of the house and gratefully made his way into the cool kitchen through the back door where he found his father and grandfather sharing a late breakfast with his younger brother.

"What are you doing here?" Danny asked Jamie with a frown, setting the roast down on the counter. God, he was still so rail thin. Danny still had nightmares remembering how bad things had been in the hospital.

"Here we go," an annoyed Jamie sniped as he looked up at his older brother. He had been dreading this meeting in particular and hadn't really prepared for it. No one needed to tell him that Danny was not going to be happy to hear about his new appointment to the 3-5.

"You forget the way home again last night, kid? I bet you had another hot date with Angie's little sister. Did she finally dump you for someone her own age?"

He was surprised to hear audible gasps from both Frank and Henry. "What?" he turned to look at them and then returned his gaze to Jamie who had gone a shade paler. "What's going on?" he demanded.

"Nothing, Danny!" Jamie angrily replied as he got to his feet and made his way over to the staircase. His older brother could be such a complete ass sometimes without even trying. "You've always got to look for a way to put me down, don't you? Trying to work with you out on the street from now on is going to be just peachy!" With that he made his way up the steps and closed the door to his room.

"What is he talking about? I was just kidding!" Danny's stunned eyes returned to his father, hating the feeling that he had somehow been left out in the cold. He moved over to the table and slumped down in a chair. Frank quickly filled him in in the events of the day before with Jamie's test score being released, his immediate promotion and his revelations about Eddie.

"So he's just giving up on her now? After all this time?" Danny pondered, but he already knew the reason behind it. The Reagan family was so tightly knit that if Eddie's anxiety forced her to stay away, there's no way things could last between the two of them.

"I'm sure it will be hard for him to move on again," Henry said. "She sounds like a good kid but if she's not comfortable with our family, it's just not going to work."

"And Jamie's really going to be a sergeant at the 3-5?" Danny was still trying to wrap his head around that one. This was sure to cause issues between them in the future.

"Definitely," Frank confessed. "Starting Tuesday, first shift."

Danny just shook his head and took another sip of coffee, "That's gonna take some getting used to Dad... it's just not going to make things easy between us, is it?"

###

Jamie spent about a half hour upstairs showering and shaving, buying time before he had to run home and change before leaving to pick up Addie at four o'clock for her friend Darla's late afternoon wedding. He could hear bits and pieces of the conversation below but he just didn't have it in him to face off with Danny right now. He knew it was a little childish to hide up there, but he didn't particularly care at this point. He wandered downstairs sheepishly after he heard Danny's car leave.

"Is the coast clear?" he asked as he offered his grandfather a slight grin.

"Danny is just concerned about you… it just comes across in his own way, you know that," Henry replied. "Your life has been shaken up quite a bit lately. We all just want to make sure you're okay."

"I know Gramps, I'm sorry. It's just hard to talk about Eddie right now without getting upset, and with Danny finding out about me and the move to the 3-5, it would have turned into a bigger argument. I'm just not ready for that right now." Jamie sighed, and then added, "Where's Dad?"

"Said he had some calls to make in his office. What are your plans?" Henry asked.

"Oh, I dunno, didn't really have any," Jamie admitted, eyeing the folder he had been discussing with his father. He needed to do something constructive. "I don't have to be at Addie's until four. Guess I'll just hang out here and read."

"Okay. I'll be in the basement organizing some donations if you need me," his grandfather said as he walked out of the kitchen.

With his grandfather gone, Jamie pulled open the folder his father had left. It had been a while since he'd had to analyze something like this but he'd always had a real knack for it. He kept his mind open and just looked for a pattern that might be out of place. He reviewed page after page, sensing his father was right; something was just too perfect, too contrived. He pulled out the information from previous budgets and felt himself drawn to the projections for the legal and disability departments. The correlation was always nearly exactly the same between the two, and the annual increase for both departments was just below the level that would trigger a review. When he compared them to the actual numbers for the past three years, they matched exactly, practically down to the penny. That was statistically impossible, there should always be some outliers in real world situations. They had to be linked in some manner. There could only be one conclusion. In this case right was wrong.

The door to the office opened as Frank make his way back to the kitchen. He was not surprised to see Jamie there reviewing the paperwork; he knew his son would take to a such a task like a dog to a bone at this point.

"Dad," Jamie started excitedly, "Dad, you were right! Something is off. Look at these numbers! Someone's cooking the books!"

"Wait, what?" Frank asked as Jamie pulled out papers and a notepad, showing him detailed notes and sketching graphs and bell curves to make his point as he explained his conclusion. His father sat back in amazement, obviously he had always known that Jamie was intelligent, but this was wickedly smart stuff and it had only taken him an hour to pinpoint an issue no one else had spotted in years.

"So you think someone is siphoning off funds in some way from the legal and disability departments," Frank frowned. He hated finding corruption in his department although he had never been foolish enough to think there was none.

"Has to be something like that. They have to be linked. There's no other reason for both sets of these numbers to balance out so precisely. If there is something being rigged, it's possible there was a loss of hundreds of thousands, if not millions over the last few years," Jamie concluded, more than a little irritated at the notion. Injured cops were taking the hit for someone else's greed.

"Well then, that's interesting," Frank said as he sat back in his chair and thoughtfully stroked his chin. "Let's keep this between us right now, Jamie," he sighed. "Just the _two_ of us," he emphasized. "You did an outstanding job here. Now I need to figure out what to do about it. I'll need to get someone in that department to look into it."

"Okay, Dad. I promise... no one else," Jamie answered. He glanced at his watch. "Damn, I'm cutting it tight," he said as he grabbed his wallet and keys from the counter. "I've got to get home to change before I pick up Addie. I'll see you for dinner tomorrow."

* * *

 _Okay, that was our own bit of déjà vu so now we're all tied into some of the major events from "Follow Your Heart" but we're going to come at them from a totally different direction since Jamie isn't really in the loop with the legal department at 1PP this time. He's got other stuff to keep him occupied. Speaking of which, next it's a really important night ahead for Jamie and Addie! She has definite plans and that big slap of reality he's due for is looming! How will their relationship move forward after this?_


	10. Chapter 10

_Bonus day! Don't forget to read Chapter 9 first!_

* * *

Chapter 10

"Oh my gosh I love this song!" Addie gushed as she stood up from the table at the reception as the band took up their cover of Lady Gaga's 'Poker Face'. "C'mon Jamie," she implored as she tugged at his hand. "Darla's out there too! Let's go dance!"

"I'll pass on this one, Ad," he said as she relented and turned her attention to Michael, Angela's husband, who was seated on the other side of her. She squealed in delight as he gave in to her pleas and followed his sister-in-law out on the dance floor.

"She's something else," Jamie grinned at Angela as they turned their chairs to watch the pair.

"That she is," Angie agreed as she put her hand down on her baby belly and laughed while her sister enthusiastically joined in the line dance as it was forming and dragged Michael into it. She was due in just over two months and things were starting to get challenging for her. "I don't know about you but I don't think I ever had that much energy in my entire life." She grew pensive suddenly as this had been the first time all evening that the two of them had been alone together. "Jamie, it's been so good to see you again. I know that this has been a little…"

"Awkward?" he finished, knowing that she was worried what his reaction would be to seeing her fully immersed in a new life with a husband and child on the way… a life she had been planning with Joe until he had been ripped away from all of them in that alley one night. He turned back to smile at her. "Angie, after the two of you met the only thing Joe ever wanted in his life was for you to be happy. That hasn't changed even though he's not here anymore. It's been good to see you again, please don't think I would ever hope for anything different for you. Michael seems like a great guy and I know you've always wanted a family. You're gonna make a fantastic mom, you know," he smiled although the situation did tear through his heart a little if he was honest. That should be his brother's child she was holding and not that of a Portland real estate broker… it just felt wrong no matter how good of a guy he was.

"You've been making my little sister very happy too lately, Jamie," Angie admitted although there was a little wrinkle of worry in her voice that she desperately tried to hide. Jamie was a cop now after all, a new sergeant at that and he would still be on the streets on a daily basis, just like Joe was before… it scared her to no end to think of Addison sitting home one night and hearing that awful knock on the door…

"Addie is always happy," Jamie mused as he turned his attention back to the pair on the dance floor now slowing things down a bit to another number he didn't recognize. "She was a real lifesaver for me when I got sick. Having a familiar face there really helped me pull through."

"I was sorry to hear about Sydney," Angie continued. "I never got to tell you that but I thought it was wrong what she did to you… you know leaving and going off to London like that."

"Yeah well, I guess she just couldn't handle it after… well after seeing what you went through. It was for the best I think," he admitted as he glanced back at her… struck once more by how much the two Greene sisters looked like one another. People had always said the same thing about him and Joe, and it suddenly occurred to him how difficult it might be for some others to see him and Addison together. Maybe that was part of the reason behind Danny's continued resistance to the two of them dating. "I don't think we really wanted the same things anyway," he continued. "If we had stayed together neither one of us would have ended up happy."

"And what is it that you want now?"

"I don't know," he smirked. "The same thing we all do I guess. Something real… maybe someone to come home to everyday again. I'm gonna be thirty next month. I guess it's time for me to figure it out."

"You're a good guy, Jamie," Angie said with a smile. "You deserve better than Syd anyway," she paused. "Just promise to take care of my little sister no matter what happens. Addie has always been a free spirit, maybe you'll be the one to tame her."

"Oh, I'm not sure that's possible," he laughed as she watched Addison and Michael make their way back towards the table. "But I might give it a try," he muttered under his breath as he caught her eye.

###

"I had so much fun tonight!" Addie enthused as she held onto Jamie's arm while he walked her up to her apartment. The two had taken a cab back uptown after staying at the reception until the band packed up and the lights were turned off.

"Me too," he admitted as she stopped to unlock the door.

"Come in," she asked as her grip slipped down to catch his hand. "Stay here tonight," she begged as they turned around to face each other and her other hand reached up to pull on his collar, slipping his undone tie off his neck and twirling it around. "We need to celebrate your promotion the right way, you know, Sergeant Reagan…"

"Are you sure?" he mumbled in anticipation as she pulled herself close and drew him in for a deep kiss while wrapping her hands around him and pushing him in through the entryway, kicking off her heels as she closed the door behind them.

"Positive," she breathed leaving little doubt as to her intentions as they quickly ended up on the couch and things began to get progressively heated. Addie approached this in pretty much the same manner she did everything else, and it had been a long time since Jamie had been with anyone in this way so he didn't need much encouragement. She began unbuttoning things as he reached behind her to undo the zipper on her dress when he opened his eyes and stared back into those beautiful exciting crystal blue orbs… the exact same ones she shared with her sister Angie…

And it was like a bucket of cold water had been thrown on him.

His heart clenched as he sat straight back up on the edge of the couch. "I can't do this!" he gasped as the reality of the situation slapped him hard in the face. Twice. Addie quickly grabbed him in a bear hug from behind, resting her chin on his shoulder.

"Can't do what, Jamie? Is it your breathing? Are you short of breath?" Addison Greene the worried respiratory therapist was in the room now. Jamie's inhalations were coming in short, erratic bursts and she was concerned that she had somehow pushed him too far, too soon after his illness.

He shook his head, unable to speak.

"Then what, silly?" she asked in confusion. "Is it the zipper? Because that sticks sometimes and I can just slip it off like this…"

"NO!" he managed to find his voice again and stop her. If she went that far then maybe, well… involuntary things might take over. "No," he repeated. "It's not that…"

"Then what?" she asked, puzzled as she moved around and took another good look at him, noting something obvious. "It's not _that_ then," she remarked with growing frustration. It had been a little while for her as well and she had been looking forward to this all evening, ever since he had knocked on her front door. She swung her legs over to sit next to him on the couch. "Jamie, I don't understand! I thought we were ready for this?"

"I did too," he moaned as he leaned forward, taking both of his hands to run them over his head and lock them behind his neck. "And then I saw your sister tonight."

"Angie?" Addison asked with sudden anger and disbelief. "Did she say something to you? I'm gonna kill her! She did, didn't she?! She promised she wouldn't bring any of that up to you!"

"Any of what?" It was Jamie's turn to be puzzled as he glanced to the side.

"She's been totally against me seeing you because you're a cop and after what happened to Joe…" she trailed off and there was a heavy silence between them for a long moment. "Is that it?" she whispered.

"No... and yes," he answered as he released his hands and took one of hers as he slouched back against the cushions, still unable to meet her gaze. "We talked, but she didn't come right out and say anything like that, although I should have maybe guessed." He paused finally to look over into those eyes again. "Addie, she's not the only one that has a hard time seeing us together because of that... because we remind people so much of…"

"Joe and Angie," she finished as she gave in and collapsed back alongside of him. "I know. It's not fair…" she sighed recalling more than a few uncomfortable looks shared across that famous dinner table, but there was one more thought nagging at her and she wanted to know the truth of the matter. "Are you sure it's just that and not because of your feelings for Eddie? I've seen the way she looks at you."

Eddie. Hearing Addison of all people ask him that question just drove that nail further into his heart. He wouldn't have slept a minute last night thinking about their failed encounter in the hallway at the bar if it hadn't been for the scotch that he downed afterwards at his dad's house.

"I don't know… maybe that's part of it too," he finally admitted after a long pause. "Eddie and I have a lot of history, but we've gotten so good at playing the game that keeps us apart that I don't think there's much hope anymore. And you," he added as he sat up to turn to look at Addie's face, the dancing eyes looking defeated now, "you were there for me when she wasn't, and you're so incredibly beautiful and fun. You've pushed me out of my comfort zone and there's never a dull moment. I really wanted it to work between the two of us, but I can't get over the…"

"...ghosts from the past," she finished for him.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

"Don't be," she answered with a small dejected laugh. "You aren't the one who put them there, and we all have them, don't we?… I'm gonna miss my adventure buddy though," she added sadly as she resigned herself to the notion that this just wasn't going to work for reasons that were totally out of their control. "I don't have a lot of friends in the city yet and there's so many things that I want to see and do. I feel like I've missed out on this my whole life cooped up in Portland. I really love it here."

"I can still be your buddy," he grinned and shook his head a little, wondering what he had just gotten himself into, but the truth was that Addie _was_ good for him… he needed to have his boundaries challenged. "Although saying that scares me a little if I'm honest. I've lived here all my life and I feel like I've missed out on so many things because I can't see them like you do."

"Really?" she added hopefully. "Like taking those rappelling lessons and going out to Mohonk with me this fall? I'm just dying to do that."

"Sure," he added and then pursed his lips as that cold fear of heights slid back into his chest. _Maybe it's time to face some of my demons and move on from them,_ he told himself... it might open up a new chapter in his life someway, especially since there was nothing else to fill it now. "What the hell, we only live once right?"

###

An hour later Jamie found himself exiting the elevator doors and wandering down the hall alone to his own apartment. He quickly let himself in and paused before turning around and leaning back as he slid down the inside of the door until he was sitting on the floor. _This had to be one for the record books,_ he thought as he banged his head back. Hard. For someone that did not date extensively he had torched not one, but two possible relationships in the course of the last 24 hours or so. Now he was left utterly alone and completely frustrated again… nowhere near that family life he had started to outright crave now. "Guess I won't have anyone to distract me when I start my new job this week," he muttered out loud with self-venom as he got up and kicked the base cabinet to his breakfast bar on the way past the kitchen, managing nothing further than to injure his already damaged pride as he limped a few steps back towards his bedroom.

* * *

 _Aw, poor boy. Line drive double play in the bottom of the 9th and he's out of the game too. One of those will ironically turn up later in the story as well. Maybe it's time for something else... Next, Sergeant Reagan gets on with the job at hand as a new, loveable, but shall we say 'interestingly flawed' character comes on board and Jamie faces up to one of his greatest fears._


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"Hey, Sergeant Reagan, should I radio in, let them know we're back in service?" the fresh-faced rookie asked as they sat at the counter of a local diner on their first meal break together.

Jamie smirked slightly out of the corner of his mouth as he recalled saying the exact thing to Renzulli on his very first tour straight out of the academy. He was so young and eager back then… and he figured he may as well follow up in the same manner for good luck. "Could you give me a minute to drink my coffee, George?" he replied as he took a second to eyeball his new partner: a skinny, dark-haired nondescript twenty-three-year-old failed dental student turned NYPD recruit. Jamie had chosen him specifically to train from the three recent academy graduates assigned to the 3-5 because he had the least amount of faith in his actual ability to become a full-fledged officer. The instructors at the academy had given him only sufficient marks and his file warned of occasional poor decision making. If George Emery Mahoy was going to go down in flames, Jamie wanted to make sure the kid had a fair shot while keeping the rest of his officers out of harm's way. He'd worked very hard the past month at his new house to earn the respect of the men and women serving under him now, and by all accounts it seemed that his formerly fragmented platoon was starting to pull together as a team except for one young officer who had recently found himself under investigation and a few of the veterans who weren't eager to take orders from a new upstart sergeant, especially one named Reagan.

Jamie smiled at the waitress as he left money for the bill and tip and picked up his hat before turning to walk out the front door towards their RMP. George followed like an antsy puppy nipping at his heels. "Call it in, Mahoy," he reminded the young officer before taking a moment to scan the street for any problems. There had been a number of daytime armed robberies taking place in the immediate area and Jamie was determined that the 3-5 would be ready if the same crew hit in their territory again.

"Central, 3-5 Edward, 10-98 resuming patrol," George radioed in confidently.

"3-5 Edward, reports of a female calling for help, 1364 West 13th and Elm. Apartment 2B"

Jamie turned around, expecting his trainee to reply to their first call, instead finding him staring back at his TO with a completely blank expression. "What are you looking at me for, George? That's us! Get in the car, go ahead!" he prodded as the rookie finally broke and ran around to the driver's side as Jamie slid in alongside, reaching for the lights and siren. "Central, 3-5 Edward, 10-4," he called into the radio and paused to mutter an "Oy vey," as he found himself comparing this instance to his first call with Eddie when she had rather over confidently jumped into the cruiser and peeled off to respond to that 10-13 in the park on their first night together. It was apparent that George had not spent as much time studying the precinct map as she had although he eventually managed to find the scene with only two wrong turns along the way.

Their damsel in distress turned out to be a young woman rehearsing in her apartment for an audition to an upcoming part in some far off Broadway play. She was dismissed with a warning for a noise violation and Jamie and George exited the building and radioed back into service. Jamie sent his trainee into the cruiser with an admonishment to further review the area street maps while he pulled out his report book and set it down on the car's trunk to write up this last call. It was a beautiful September afternoon and Jamie was determined to enjoy the nice weather while it lasted. Several days of heavy rain were forecasted for the remainder of the week as the remnants of a hurricane were due to lash the area as a strong tropical storm. He had just about finished his log entry when another RMP rolled up and came to a stop with a familiar voice calling out.

"Harvard!" Renzulli yelled through the open passenger-side window. "What're you doing over here on my turf?" he growled.

Jamie smirked as he walked up to the car. He and his former TO had enjoyed a friendly banter back and forth ever since he'd switched precincts. "Left side of Elm is _my_ turf, Sarge. Remember?" he chided.

"Yeah, well I'm keeping my eye on you, Reagan," Renzulli shot back with a grin. "Gotta make sure you're not out here stealing collars from the 12th trying to make us look bad. How's things with your newbie?" he asked nodding towards George.

"First day nerves," Jamie admitted. He could see that his former partner also had a new uniform in the car with him. "What about you?"

"Oh, Evans here?" Renzulli asked. "Best rookie I've had so far. Sam doesn't ask too many questions and already knows to let me have the last word. Good kid," he smiled and then turned more serious. "Hey Jamie," he started. "You haven't run into Jayne or that creeper Carl she's been hanging out with lately have you? My missus has been trying to get a hold of her and she's not answering. I think she's back in the city again."

"No, Sarge," Jamie answered and his stomach rolled at the thought of that little girl in the back seat of that old Explorer again. For some reason he hadn't been able to forget those haunting blue eyes. "But I'll be sure to keep a look out. You think she's in trouble?"

"She missed her meeting with her parole officer upstate yesterday," the older man sighed. "He called me. Brian hasn't heard from her either and he's all wrapped up with the start of the new academy class next week. Do me a favor and keep an eye out for that damn car and sit on it if you find them. I've just about had enough of Miss Jayne Marie Jeffers and it's time I get that little girl out of the situation if I have to… may Bill forgive me," he added as he crossed himself.

"I'll do that," Jamie promised. "Anything new on those armed robberies yet?" he asked as he closed up his report book and prepared to return to his own vehicle.

"No, but word is your brother and Baez could be called in if they hit again. Detective Anderson and his partner have done squat on the case so far and I've heard rumblings that Ghormley at 1PP is feeling the heat from your dad."

"Terrific," Jamie muttered. So far he had been able to avoid any conflict with his brother on the job, but he knew that was only going to last for so long. Anderson was another one at the 3-5 that was headed for the door with stress-induced early retirement it seemed. Half the old guard at his new house seemed to be turning over in much the same manner and Jamie's suspicions had been raised. The 3-5 territory was no more challenging than that at the 12th and he couldn't remember the last time his old precinct had lost more than an occasional officer in that way. He was just about to bring the notion up to his old boss when Renzulli's radio crackled and they were called to back up 12-David on a 10-52 domestic. Jamie's heart clenched as the other RMP took off with its lights and sirens wailing. Eddie and Wilson were usually assigned their old call signal now, and it still haunted him to hear it go out over the radio.

Ever since the epic failure of a weekend more than a month ago where he had walked out on Eddie one night and followed that up with the double-header of breaking up with Addison the next, Jamie had remained absolutely, utterly alone romantically. While he and Eddie had avoided one another for the most part, things had been able to move forward with Addie… the two had remained friends as promised and still shared a weekly 'Adventure Night' as she referred to it every Monday evening where they met at the climbing gym for the scheduled rappelling lessons. Jamie wasn't sure how much adventure was involved as he was still scared spitless each and every single time he crawled off the ledge there and it was only a thirty-foot drop onto padded mats below. He knew that Addie was planning some much more daring descents for them off the Mohonk cliffs soon and he had tried his damnedest to learn the proper techniques so he wouldn't embarrass himself by doing something stupid like falling to his death, but he was the furthest thing from a natural at it there could be. However, it was in fact the only time all week that something took his mind off a particular blond-haired fellow officer, so he had persevered as he was determined to put that behind him. Tonight was the last lesson though… military rappelling was on tap where the goal was to drop straight off with speed and go directly to the bottom. Jamie's throat went dry and his mind blanked just thinking about it.

His body gave a little involuntary shudder as he walked back to the cruiser and crawled into the passenger seat next to George, far more willing to face another five hours out on the mean streets partnered with a complete novice than to be harnessed to a little rope while he prayed for mercy as he fell through space again.

###

"Hey, Jamie! I didn't think you were coming!" Addie greeted him enthusiastically as he showed up for class with just minutes to spare before their session was due to start. She was already sporting her helmet, harness and gloves and looked raring to go.

"Oh, um, sorry about that," he swallowed as he forced his body to pull some gear out of the lesson bins. "We had a call right before end of shift and I started with a new rookie today so it took a while to get everything sorted afterwards." He declined to mention the part where he had driven around the block three times before finding the courage to park in the garage and make his way inside here.

"Not a problem!" she enthused. "Dave's busy setting up the high platform for everyone. We'll be dropping forty-five feet on a fixed line tonight. There's a special prize for whoever has the fastest time down!"

"Super," Jamie gulped as his heart skipped a beat. He had _almost_ gotten used to thirty and tried to cover up the fact that his hands were shaking a bit as he pulled his harness on and attempted mentally to go through all the necessary safety protocols. Jamie Reagan might be able to recite the entire NYPD patrol guide upside down and in Swahili, but his mind never failed to seized up each and every time he tried to focus on this all-important checklist.

"Don't forget your ATC!" Addie reminded him as he started to walk away without the crucial belay device. "Remember, make a bunny ear with the rope to slip through and lock the carabiner on or you'll win the award for the fastest descent for sure, but that's cheating, silly!"

"Right," Jamie croaked out an obvious counterfeit laugh as he grabbed the vital piece of equipment. "I was just making sure you were paying attention," he added to cover himself as he began to wish desperately that someone would accidentally pull the fire alarm so that the building would have to be evacuated. "Oh God!" he muttered to himself as they walked out into the main area and looked up at the tiny platform near the top of the cavernous ceiling. Getting to it required a steep climb up numerous sets of open steps and a walk across a narrow metal gangway. Jamie's feet were instantly frozen to the ground.

"C'mon, they're waiting for us," Addie encouraged as she pushed him towards the stairs. "It's our graduation present for making it through the class. If we're lucky they'll let us do it twice!"

"Twice, okay," Jamie swallowed as he pulled his helmet on and his hands started to perspire inside his gloves while some unseen force started to move his feet towards the wall and up the stairwell. The autopilot movement continued as he clicked his carabiner on the safety wire and crossed the metal grating to reach the small jump platform. He didn't dare look down once, not even as the instructor locked him in and double checked the equipment.

"You go first!" Addie cheered from her perch next to him. He could hear her voice but it sounded oddly far away and faint at the moment.

"Alright, Jamie!" Dave, the instructor, directed as he moved his reluctant student towards the edge. "This should be a piece of cake for you by now. First make sure your rope is knotted at the bottom and throw it over properly."

"Right," Jamie said as the involuntary movements took over again. He made a knot approximately two feet from the end of the line and glanced quickly over the edge, going three shades closer to transparent instantly as he looked at the distance to the mats below. "Rope!" he barked out in a semi-squeak with little conviction as he threw it over the platform and watched as the coil snapped and sprung up and down until it settled.

"Great job," Dave continued to motivate as he positioned Jamie facing backwards at the end of the footing. "Always make sure your rope clears and untwists, especially if it's new. Now, just lean back and release. Not too fast. Remember the left hand steadies and the right brakes."

"Okay..." Jamie sighed as he did as he was told and gave everything over to God in that instant; a deity who must have had a wicked sense of humor given the result. He jumped backwards, and all went well for a split second until he nervously clamped his right hand down too hard and he felt his body jerk and he lost his grip with the left as things snarled and he suddenly found himself hanging precariously upside down in the harness staring straight at the ground more than thirty feet below.

"Jamie! Hold on!" Addie shouted as she watched her new climbing buddy stay frozen in what had to be an uncomfortable gut-wrenching position, especially for a guy, she thought, given the unfortunate position of the harness straps at the moment.

"No worries, Reagan!" Dave shouted down as he scrambled to hook himself up for an immediate rescue drop if needed. "Just keep your brake hand set and flip yourself back up the opposite way of the tangle and grab the rope above the ATC. You can do it, buddy!"

"Right," Jamie replied weakly while the blood pooled in his head, making the room spin as all the moisture left his mouth. He took a slight breath and forced himself to do as he was told, thankfully managing to guess correctly and undo the fouled rope. The remainder of the ride to the bottom was uneventful as he inched his way down in what was sure to be the slowest time ever recorded at the gym. His knees gave way as they hit the mats and he collapsed on his back staring up at Addison's rather bemused expression overhead.

"You did it!" she exclaimed. "Now quick crawl out of the way! It's my turn!" she demanded. Jamie forced himself to roll several feet to one side as he remained prone and watched her descend with all the speed and stealth of a veteran Navy Seal. She was still chuckling as she unclipped and made her way over before collapsing to her knees next to him. "That was so much fun!" she enthused. "Wanna do it again?"

Jamie could not stop the inordinate urge to giggle that came over him in that moment as his body shook and tears of relief spilled forth while he covered his face with his gloved hands. He hadn't laughed that hard in ages as all the tension in his body released and the feeling was overwhelmingly good. Somewhere during that leap of faith his head had been completely cleared of any doubts about the feelings that had been crossed between Eddie and Addie. Maybe there was something cathartic about facing one of your worst fears and literally looking up at it afterwards. Whatever was holding Eddie back could be fixed somehow, he was sure of it now… especially if he was able to get past his own anxiety. Little did he know how eternally grateful he would always be to Addison for this lesson as it would prove to be the key in bringing together a few of the things he so desperately needed in his life right now.

* * *

 _Hmm, so is there still hope for Eddie or will another young lady drop in to turn Jamie head over heels and sweep him off his feet first? A nice run of action-packed chapters on tap now as we veer completely away from what's happened before and our favorite Jamko pair face a critical situation that will change the course of everyone's lives forever!_


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"So you're gonna go out with him, right?" Wilson pried as he carefully watched his partner's expression. They had clocked out for an early meal break during their Thursday shift and Eddie had just responded to Jamie's text from the night before asking her if she would be willing to meet him somewhere after work to talk. It had been the third one he'd sent that week… once every night at exactly 11:09 since the epiphany he experienced after his drop from the proverbial sky, yet this was the first she had answered. Eddie was well aware of what a 119 meant in Reagan family code after having ridden with Jamie for two years on the job and she wasn't about to give him the satisfaction of following that particular implied order, at least not right away. "You know you've been miserable every single day since he left, right?" Wilson scolded. "I mean I'm just sayin'..."

"Yeah, I get it," Eddie replied with a deep sigh as she looked out of the window at the heavy deluge of rain beating down on the car for now the third day in a row. The dreary weather perfectly reflected her mood at the moment. "I said yes, but I don't know what's really changed between us. I mean we're still pretty much left in the same situation we were before. Maybe I need some therapy for my daddy issues..." she trailed off.

"Maybe the two of you just need to get together and knock some boots so you won't care who his daddy is anymore," he smirked. "I mean I'm just sayin'..."

"Will you please stop 'just sayin' that'!" she snapped back. "You've been talking to Kara, I see. She's been 'sayin'' the exact same thing all week now!"

"Somebody's gotta look after you, Janko," Wilson sighed. "I need a partner with a clear head even if she's a chatterbox, not the gloomy gus that's been in the car all month. These tours have been dragging lately, and it's not all because of this crappy weather you know."

Eddie had to agree, and she glanced down at her phone anxiously waiting for a response.

###

Across town just a few blocks away, Jamie also called in a 10-63 to put his squad out on meal as his new partner George pulled their RMP up in front of a sporting goods store named the Urban Clymb. "I'll just be five minutes," Jamie warned as he ordered his rookie to stay put, "then we can go across the street to Watson's and get lunch."

"10-4," George replied as he watched his sergeant get out of the car and dash through the large pinging raindrops to the store entrance. Jamie had received a text from Addie earlier this morning reminding that the gear she had ordered for him was ready to be picked up and asking if he had time to stop by in the middle of his tour since she was stuck at the hospital all week during their regular business hours. He was fairly certain that he would never again have the guts to rig up and rappel off anything higher than the curb, but he didn't want to leave her in the lurch for the cost of the equipment, and she had been more than understanding after their last experience at the gym although she still held out slight hope for a trip out to Mohonk. After a short time in the shop, Jamie was soon back out in the weather and loading his purchases in the squad car's trunk. Helmet, gloves, ropes, carabiners and belay devices all destined to sit boxed in a closet at his apartment unless Addie was able to wrangle a different Adventure Night buddy of roughly the same size. Maybe he could talk Danny into taking up a new sport.

That taken care of, Jamie climbed back into the passenger seat and brushed the water off his jacket as the pair drove a short distance to pick up lunch at a local sandwich shop. George went out in the rain this time to retrieve the food and Jamie pulled his phone out of his pocket and did a double take when he saw Eddie's affirmative response to his most recent invitation. He quickly sent back a short reply, confirming their plans to meet at 7:00 at Sullivan's. _She finally said yes,_ he sighed to himself as suddenly he had nervous butterflies in his stomach once more and no interest in his meal. His rookie had no such reservations, and for a skinny guy was able to pack away quite an impressive amount of food in the short time before they were due back in service. Jamie was left wondering how he always ended up with partners that were able to outpace him by such a large margin when it came to eating on the job. Despite his initial doubts, he felt like George had made a bit of progress as the week had gone on and he was starting to give him a little more responsibility with each call. He'd certainly gotten a crash course in driving in bad weather the past few days as the continued deluge had taxed the city's drainage systems to the maximum and water was now backing up everywhere and slowing commuters to a crawl across the entire metro area.

Just before the end of their break, Jamie's phone buzzed once more and his father's ID popped up. Frank Reagan had left on a business trip to Atlanta on Monday evening for a conference, and by the looks of it, he wasn't going to be back in the city anytime soon. "Hey, Dad," he answered as George immediately sat straight in his seat at attention. That was kind of amusing, he thought. Everyone on the job knew who Sergeant Jamie Reagan's father was, even if it was their first week on the street. "At ease, rookie," he whispered to his young partner. "This is a social call."

"Just checking in to see how things are going for you, son," Frank said. "I heard it's been a little wet up there."

"Yes, just a little," Jamie acknowledged. "Lot's of flooding and accidents, but it's getting handled. We could use some sun. What about you?"

"The same," his father answered. "Just sitting around the hotel room all afternoon now. They picked a hell of a week for this type of national conference. Commissioners flying in from every state when the whole damn country's been under water at some point. Everything's been rearranged and rescheduled and Washington is determined to push it through no matter how long it takes. We'll never get out of here. If I'm not back for Sunday, make sure someone sees to it that your grandfather gets to church."

"No problem," Jamie said. "I'll pick him up myself. Listen, we went out on meal a little early so need to clock back in. I'll give you a call later when I'm off shift, okay?"

"Sounds good, son," Frank replied. "Be safe."

"You too, Dad. See you soon."

Thankfully the radio stayed quiet aside from a number of slow-speed accidents that snarled traffic for most of the afternoon as almost every living thing in the tri-state area sought shelter from the heaviest rain of the storm. It was just before three o'clock when Jamie's eyes lit on a familiar vehicle as it once again ran a red light, splashing through major puddles just down the block from where they were parked. "Damn it!" he barked as he hit the lights and siren. "George, follow that cream Explorer, but don't go in hot and spook them. I know that car and they might have a child in there with them."

The rookie listened to his sergeant's orders closely as he pulled up behind the vehicle and followed it for several blocks before it veered right suddenly and came to a quick stop up against the curb once more. They were right on the edge of the 12th's territory again. Jamie relayed their situation and put in an additional call. "3-5 Sergeant, Central, request immediate 10-85 from 12-Sergeant at my location, corner of Amsterdam and Elm."

"10-4, 3-5 Sergeant. Switch to tac 3 for 12-Sergeant."

"Stay in the car, George," Jamie ordered before his trainee could step out as he flipped the radio to channel 3. "3-5 Sergeant," he repeated with an uneasy feeling in his stomach.

"12-Sergeant," Renzulli's voice came through loud and clear. "What's going on, Reagan?"

"Sarge, I've got a 10-67 with eyes on that cream-colored Explorer. Two confirmed occupants in the vehicle. You might want to roll if you're in the area and put a unit down at the far side of Amsterdam in case he rabbits."

"10-4," Renzulli barked. "12-David will move into position at the end of the avenue. You box them in and sit tight. I'll be there in five."

"3-5 Sergeant out," Jamie acknowledged as he switched his personal radio to the alternate frequency. He mulled over his options while he quickly accessed the onboard computer to checked the plates and run Carl's name once more for any outstanding warrants as the downpour suddenly lifted for the first time all day. "Okay, George… this is how we're going to work this. You will approach the male driver and request his license and registration. Take it nice and easy but keep his hands in sight at every moment. I'm almost certain we'll have a female passenger with a parole violation. This could be a hot situation. You need to keep your eyes open and stay on your toes, but remember there could be a child in that back seat so stay cool."

"Yes, sir," George swallowed nervously.

"Alright, let's go," Jamie ordered as he stepped out of the RMP and put his hat squarely on his head. He watched as his rookie slowly approached on the driver's side and kept his eyes on the passenger-side door mirror to gauge her actions as he stepped up. Jayne immediately recognized Jamie and slowly rolled her window down. "Officer, Reagan, I can explain," she started. "It's Kaylin's birthday this weekend, and we were down here to wish Brian good luck on starting his academy class and Carl's truck broke down, and I dropped my cell so I don't have my parole officer's number to call…"

"Save it, Jayne," Jamie sighed as he glanced in the back seat and caught sight of the baby. "You mind if I look at that car seat again?" he asked in an effort to buy more time. Neither one of the adults in the front were wearing seatbelts, which didn't surprise Jamie in the least, given their complete disregard for anyone's safety.

"We didn't move it, I swear," Jayne said nervously, glancing at Carl who had been ordered to keep his hands on the wheel by a rather serious-looking rookie doing his best to put up a strong front.

 _Good for you, George,_ Jamie thought. _I might make an officer out of you yet._ "I'll just check that for myself, ma'am," he replied to Jayne, and he cautiously opened the back door to see to the child's welfare. This time the baby was asleep with her head resting on the side of the chair. A careful tug on all the belts confirmed her mother's account. Something deep inside urged Jamie to remove the little girl from the car then and there, but he had no cause at the moment even though he knew a check of Jayne's license would reveal a parole violation. He closed the back door slowly as he had hoped to stave off any confrontation until Renzulli arrived for backup, but he could read the agitated tapping of Carl's fingers on the steering wheel and his sixth sense was telling him that they had run out of time.

"Okay, both of you step out of the vehicle," Jamie ordered sternly as he reached for the front door handle. The siren from the approaching backup squad could be heard rounding the corner behind them. Traffic in the area was building up suddenly now and Renzulli had been lucky enough to weave his way through before it had grid locked. Because George had left their RMP in the street to ward off other cars, the four blocks straight ahead on Amsterdam were clear to the T where the avenue met the river and Jamie could see the lights from Wilson and Eddie's car in his peripheral vision as they pulled into position down there.

Sensing that they were now being cornered, Jayne suddenly screamed, "NO! YOU'RE NOT TAKING HER AWAY FROM ME!" as Carl reacted and lurched the vehicle into drive and floored the accelerator. The large driver's side mirror caught George on the side of the arm, spinning him to the ground just inches to the side of rear tire as it flashed past him. Jamie also lost his balance momentarily as his hand pulled away from the latch but he managed to keep his feet, and he was relieved to see his partner was relatively unhurt as he was scrambling up on his own.

"You two okay?" Renzulli yelled as he slid his squad to a halt next to them.

"Yeah, GO!" Jamie replied as he frantically waved him on while quickly pulling George the rest of the way to his feet. Renzulli spun his tires on the wet pavement until they caught traction and he sped off in pursuit. Jamie pushed George towards the passenger side of their own car and jumped in the driver's seat himself. He had just barely put it in gear when he witnessed a horrible sight at the far end of the way. Carl had panicked as he met the T intersection at high speed and the position of 12-David to the right had forced him to attempt a sharp left, severely unbalancing the top-heavy vehicle and rolling it over the guardrail to send it down the steep bank towards the river below right next to the iconic old North Croton Bridge.

"Damn it!" Jamie cried as he floored the accelerator and slid his RMP to a stop next to the other two NYPD vehicles as all the officers got out of their cars to assess the situation. The momentum of the Explorer had carried it halfway down the steep saturated river bank on its roof where it could be seen still inching its way downward on the mudpack before coming to a tenuous rest on a small outcropping. Once it hit the strong current of the overflowing river there would be no hope for them. Wilson had already tried swinging himself over the rail in an effort to get to the car, but the thick mud sucked up to his knees and stopped him in his tracks… it was obvious that any further disturbance in that manner threatened to send an extensive avalanche of dirt and water down to finish the job. There didn't appear to be any way to reach them at this point, if anyone had indeed survived, and for a few seconds there was complete silence among the six officers... that was until the clear cries of the toddler trapped in the back seat could be heard above the roar of the water.

"OH, CHRIST!" Jamie panicked as Eddie and Renzulli both instinctively grabbed his shoulders to hold him back. They both knew that absolutely nothing would stop him from trying to save that child, even at the cost of his own life. Renzulli had a clear flashback to that time at the fire when Jamie had rushed into the burning building without thinking to save a little baby boy. "Do me a favor, don't do nothing heroic," he had told him one night afterwards at the bar, but he knew it wasn't in the kid's blood to listen to him. The older man struggled to hang onto his former partner now and reached up to key his own radio, desperate himself to get help in immediately for the little girl. They were all stunned when Central relayed back that there were no Search and Rescue units available in the area due to a multi-vehicle accident involving a number of tour buses and tractor trailers on the nearby expressway. Traffic across the entire area was now at a standstill and the high winds from the tropical storm had grounded all helicopter support. Harbor patrol was likewise taxed and unavailable. ETA on any help was more than an hour out.

"We've got to do something!" Eddie cried without relinquishing her hold on Jamie's uniform, she could feel every beat of his heart pounding through his chest as he continued to try to push his way forward.

"No one moves!" Renzulli barked, taking charge as the senior officer on the scene. His heart was breaking for Jayne and her baby down there but he couldn't compound the already apparent tragedy by sending one of his officers towards them to meet the same fate. As if on cue, the Explorer twisted on its perch slightly and rocked closer to the edge of its weak foothold.

"Sarge, we can't! We can't just let them go… not that little girl!" Jamie gasped as he looked around frantically for some way to save them. His eyes lit on the trunk of his RMP and shifted over to glance at the massive old structure of the North Croton Bridge next to them. The historic portion of the old aqueduct system was now closed to all but foot traffic and had been completed in the mid-1800s; rising nearly 115 feet over the Harlem River's mean high tide which had already been breached with the torrent of rain the area had received during the current storm. The car had come to rest no more than twenty-five feet away from the base of the first support piling. Moving sideways against the grain of the bank, someone could traverse their way over to the vehicle and reach them without causing a devastating mudslide if they dropped in from above. "Oh, God," he muttered as he gauged the height with dread. It dwarfed the drop at the climbing gym by more than double in his estimation. Where was Addie, his super ninja Navy Seal now?

"I know what to do," he huffed as all the other officers looked at him with surprise while a small crowd started to gather around. "Wilson, you stay here with Sam and George... have them keep everyone back. You'll have to be my eyes on this side. we're on tac 3," he added as he pulled Eddie's arm around and pushed her towards his car. He looked at Renzulli and swallowed hard. "I need you and Janko to come with me, Sarge... I think I have a plan."

* * *

 _Yup, he's got a plan, and a doozie at that. Will it be enough to save Kaylin or is it already too late?_

 _The site seems to be having its issues posting reviews again like it did a few weeks ago. Authors can read them via email and they eventually all show up as normal as soon as someone takes the server and, how did Frank once put it? "If it's stuck, hit it with a hammer?" so please keep sending them, I'd like to keep this story running on schedule. Curious to see what you guys think about the upcoming Jamko. :-)_


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"HARVARD, ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR FLIPPIN' MIND?" Renzulli roared as he pulled himself out of the car near the pedestrian entrance to the bridge's pathway where Jamie had parked and was now frantically digging through the trunk. "THE HELL! You take a couple of bounce house lessons with a teeny bopper cheerleader and now you think you're freakin' Spiderman or something?"

" _Spiderman is the ultimate superhero,"_ Jamie replied, falling back on a conversation he'd had with Eddie during one of their last tours together. He knew his plan wasn't going to go over well with either of his former partners when he roughed it out quickly on the ride up to the top of the span. The mindless talking was the only thing keeping his brain from freezing up again. " _He's got spidey sense, he can sling web, he can fight crime while he…"_

"And like I said before _he's_ _immature!_ " Eddie shouted as she stood next to him in shock; the high winds whipping the hair right out of her normally tight work bun. She was well aware of Jamie's phobia about heights and could not wrap her mind around what he was planning to do. This had to be a joke, right? What the hell did this Addison chick do that had him willing to hang from the rafters somewhere?

" _He's flawed, which makes him more accessible…"_ Jamie continued repeating the familiar banter as he sorted through the supplies and picked out some items. A helmet, gloves and harness were quickly located and tossed on the ground. "Besides, he's from Queens, gotta root for the hometown boy, right?" Locking carabiners, some webbing, the all-important ATC device and finally the longest skein of rope he had available followed. "If Superman was here, I wouldn't need to worry, would I?"

"Reagan, you are not doing this!" Renzulli demanded as he grabbed Jamie's shoulder once more. "I know you hate letting go when there's a kid involved, but this is suicide! We wait for help and that's an order!"

"You don't outrank me anymore, Sarge," Jamie followed up quietly and evenly. It pained him to go against his former training officer in the worst way. "Here, take my gun. Damn it! She doesn't have that kind of time! I'm not letting her die without trying!"

"Jamie! The patrol guide says we need to wait for the rescue team! They're trained for this!" Eddie yelled again as she tried using his own logic against him this time while he was already bending down and pulling the harness up over his boots and blue uniform pants.

"Section 217-01 Vehicle Accidents - General Procedure does not list the protocol for what to do when a baby is about to die in a car sliding down a mud bank into the river!" he snapped back as he pulled the buckles tight. Even under intense pressure he was able to pull out the exact damn page of the guide as a reflex. God, that was irritating. "Now grab that heavy blanket in the trunk and bring it with us, Officer Janko," he barked as he picked up the remaining supplies and started to run out on the walkway towards the railing above the car. He prayed it was still there when he looked over and was relieved to see it hadn't moved although the horizon started to dip precariously as his brain began to catch up with the plan and the adrenaline was already coursing.

Eddie tried one final weak plea as she and Renzulli reached his side. "Reagan you can't do this! You're scared of heights! You can't even do stairs well on a regular basis!" It was pitiful but all she had left.

"I'm not letting her die down there!" he growled back again before softening his voice and meeting her eyes. She could sense the pure desperation reflected in his own and it puzzled her. The only time she'd seen that look before was from parents who were faced with losing their own child. "I can't Eddie, I just have to try... you know that," he pleaded. "Just help me. I need you to be here right now and help me focus."

He turned to Renzulli as he began to pull the packaging off of the rope coil. "How far down is it, Sarge?" he asked, knowing the older man had an innate ability to pinpoint such things down to the closest inch.

His former TO also gave in and glanced over and eyeballed the distance. He knew nothing was going to stop the kid once he'd made his mind up about something, even if there was no way for this to end but badly. "That's just over a hundred foot drop, maybe 102," he advised as he watched Jamie start twisting and knotting the line and webbing around one of the concrete railing bases. The younger officer was mouthing words to himself as he tried to recall the diagram of a mooring he had been taught in class. He remembered the instructor telling them that it was a quick and dirty rigging method that gets you rappelling as soon as possible, and there was certainly no time to spare in this instance. Jamie rapidly built a webbing anchor and attached the end of the rope to it using a single-loop figure-8 and a locking carabiner. "How long's your rope?" Renzulli prodded.

"Thirty meters."

" _In English,_ Harvard!"

"About 98 and a half feet, Sarge!"

"Then what the hell are you gonna do at the bottom? You've already lost some of the length up here!"

"I guess I'm gonna have'ta jump then! I'll figure it out once I get down there!" Jamie said as he put his helmet on and straightened up while grabbing the remaining items. So far he had staved off the brain freeze he had been fearing. Now it was time to make the critical attachment to the line… critical only if you were concerned about not cheating to win the fasted descent award, he remembered grimly. "Loop over, slide up, bunny ear comes through the hole," he mouthed quietly as he snapped the locking carabiner through the ACT device.

Eddie could not maintain her silence after hearing that. She was terrified that she was about to watch the man she'd finally admitted her feelings towards throw himself over the edge of this damn bridge to his death. "BUNNY EAR! _Are you serious!?_ Reagan, you're not a three-year-old tying shoelaces! You can't do this, not even to save that baby!" The little girl's weak cries could still be heard coming from below and they were driving Jamie on. _Thank God she was buckled in,_ he thought. The other two probably didn't stand a chance. His sole focus was on getting to that child.

"Shut up, please!" he begged. "I need to think! I'm not letting her die, Eddie, I can't explain it but I can't let her go, not this little one! She's special somehow... I can do this for her, trust me!" Autopilot was taking over now as his body began to run through the steps itself. Instructor Dave's voice was channeling through as well. Knot the rope two feet from the end. Check. Yell before you throw the line, "Rope!" he cried to no one as he heaved the loops over the side and watched as the coil snapped and sprung up and down until it settled. Check. Always make sure your rope clears and untwists, especially if it's new. Check. Try not to throw up as you look down to perform said actions. Double check. Good thing he had passed on lunch earlier. He caught a quick glimpse of bystanders down near the bank where the car had flipped raising their phones to video the events and a New York One news crew had already pulled in and set up. Sam and George were not doing the finest job at crowd control. Great, this was about to become an instant YouTube sensation. He prayed it would not end up in the vaults of the worst ways to die genre when everything was over.

"JAMIE, PLEASE!" Eddie cried as she held his shoulder one last time after he arranged the blanket to cushion the edge of the rope against the rough concrete railing. "Please don't do this! I… _love you,_ " she admitted involuntarily as her eyes went wide at the words and her breath caught. "I LOVE YOU Jamison Reagan and I don't want to lose you!" she repeated loudly with surprising conviction in her voice. Renzulli stood on the other side of the couple and jerked his hat off to slap his hand over his face. If this didn't beat anything he'd ever seen on the job in twenty years… and he thought having the Commissioner's youngest kid keel over in the precinct hallway was bad. Frank Reagan was going to have a price on his head by nightfall if anything went wrong here.

Jamie paused for a second as he caught Eddie's eyes before pulling her in for a sudden deep kiss. It may have looked like a sappy scene from an old romantic drama, but God, that felt good. Regulations be damned. "I love you too, Edit Janko," he shouted as the wind whipped around them and she blinked back in utter shock. "NOW TRUST ME!" he urged as he prepared to crawl over the edge.

"3-5 Sergeant, Central, 10-3 119 immediately!" his radio squawked as he straddled the rail.

Crap, how on earth would his father know what was going on all the way down in Atlanta? Jamie glanced over again and saw the news crew filming. Garrett. They must have a direct line to the DCPI. His dad was probably watching a live satellite feed in high def technicolor. He shook his head and ignored the call. It was now or never as he pulled himself all the way over the rail and braced himself on a narrow ledge.

"Jesus, Mary, and Joseph," he breathed as he peeked down at the ground far below, figuring that short prayer covered almost everyone who could possibly be of any help to him at this point. "Now, just lean back and release. Not too fast. Remember the left hand steadies and the right brakes," he reminded himself, giving it over to God once more and hoping for a better result this time. It was not to be. Less than twenty feet down, Jamie once again performed his now patented face plant move as the new rope twisted and snarled together and he found himself hanging precariously upside down in the harness staring straight at the ground more than eighty feet away this time. Shit.

"Reagan, hold on!" Eddie and Renzulli screamed in unison as the rest of the crowd gasped. In Atlanta, one heart in particular ceased to beat and a pair meeting in an office uptown at that very moment pounded uncontrollably.

"No worries!" Jamie wheezed as the straps constricted painfully once again. Boy, he had this part of it down pat now. "Too fast! Just need to keep my brake hand set and flip myself back up the opposite way of the tangle and grab the rope above the ATC... I can do this!" he yelled back up. Everyone watching sighed in relief as he corrected things and was soon on his way to the bottom again with a much quicker pace than in class although not quite at Super Seal speed. That brought up an additional problem, Renzulli had been right... he was about twelve feet short of the ground when he hit the knot at the end of the rope. What was worse, the heavy wind was causing him to sway back and forth like a pendulum, and if he didn't make a decision about what to do quickly and then time it perfectly, he was either going to find himself falling out over the rushing water of the river or end up plastered against that enormous stone support piling. That's not something he had anticipated from the indoor class, damn it. Nothing left to do but pull up and unhook and prepare to jump while doing his best Tarzan impression. He thought luck was finally with him as he released over the closest bit of dirt, but the immediate pain that hit as he rolled his right ankle over heavily on the downhill landing was quick to dispel any such notion.

"Son of a bitch!" he gasped, although in that instant he could have reached down and kissed the muddy, purulent ground anyway. He was completely one with gravity at that moment and had arrived at his destination more or less in one piece.

"Reagan! What's the matter?! Do you copy?!" Renzulli's heavy Brooklyn accent shattered his zen.

"I'm fine, it's nothing!" he called after reaching up to his shoulder and keying in his radio. "Just sprained my damn ankle."

"Jamie, it's Wilson," another voice came across the air. "I think the car is starting to slide again. You don't have much time!"

The baby! He immediately refocused when he realized that her cries had ceased during the last few terrifying minutes. No, not after all this. He quickly released the harness straps, letting it drop away and pulled his helmet off before crawling over to the vehicle on his hands and knees more or less. He approached carefully from the side, conscious of the fact that the whole damn thing could twist and roll over on him at any second if the ground on one end decided completely to give way. Luckily the current angle gave him a clear view of the inside through the shattered windshield which instantly narrowed down his list of responsibilities. There was no doubt about Jayne and Carl's status given their apparent state.

"Driver and front passenger DOA. Sorry, Sarge," he revealed quietly.

Up above, Renzulli angrily turned around and kicked the closest solid object. "Damn kids," he muttered to himself as he once again removed his hat and clutching it to his chest. "I'm so sorry, Bill," he whispered while catching himself before the tears came. Jayne had grown up practically in front of him and her felt her loss at his core, but there was another man's child he was still responsible for right now, even if he couldn't find it within himself to watch any longer. "Reagan, please be careful down there," he begged softly.

"10-4," Jamie replied as he carefully snaked his way along the ground towards the rear of the car, the pain in his ankle completely pushed out of his thoughts. Thankfully the force of the accident had left the door wrenched open. He held his breath as he peered inside.

"Hi baby girl... please talk to me," he implored softly as he tried to make contact. She was hanging virtually upside down, caught by the car seat straps.

At the sound of his voice, big, crystal blue eyes opened and blinked back but there was no other acknowledgement that she'd heard him other than the tears that were now falling in an inverted manner from her dirty face. She was plainly terrified and had just about exhausted herself struggling.

"Kaylin?" he tried again, remembering her name from Renzulli. "Kaylin, my name is Jamie," he said quietly as he inched closer before reaching back into one of his cargo pockets to pull out a utility knife. From his position he was not going to be able to reach the latch with the two hands needed to release it. "Remember me from before? I'm the policeman that fixed your seat and I'm going to get you out of here. Are you okay sweetheart? Do you hurt?" he asked, but again there was no immediate response. He carefully put his left hand down on the roof of the upside down car and pulled himself in to reach up towards her. His heart seized as the vehicle tipped and shifted towards him slightly. The rain was coming down dangerously hard again suddenly.

"Reagan! Get out of that car!" Wilson warned. "It's going to go!"

"I'm almost there!" Jamie said out loud to no one in particular as he pushed his way in another foot and started frantically sawing on the nearest straps. There was no time to reach for the mic, he had only one focus now.

Suddenly all hell broke loose as the vehicle offered up an unholy creaking noise and the remaining ground underneath Jamie's feet fell sharply away as the whole thing shifted and lurched towards him before tumbling over quickly for the remaining distance down the steep bank and crashing sideways into the angry current below. It rolled over once more before the pressure sucked it down like a cork and it become completely submerged with the wheels up. There was no hope for anyone still trapped inside.

"REAGAN!" Wilson yelled as he paced along the rail above them. "REAGAN ANSWER ME!" He frantically called down the bank and then looked up and spotted Eddie and Renzulli sliding down further along the bridge railing, trying desperately to spot some sort of sign of the young sergeant or the little girl. Neither officer had taken the time to key their radio, and he had no idea what they were shouting down to him about.

"Oh, God," Wilson swallowed hard while he looked over at the two shocked rookie faces staring back at him as George and Sam both went completely white with stunned expressions etched on their faces. "What the hell just happened?!"

* * *

 _So did our superhero save the day and the young damsel in distress or did they end up in the water under the bridge? Sorry, just couldn't help myself! Bahaha!_


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

The reality of his current situation hit Jamie instantly when a white-hot pain seared through his left shoulder as he threw his arm to the side in an attempt to reach out and stop their descent before they slid down the hill into the water or met with the unforgiving rocky ground below. At the very last second before car began to twist, he had managed to cut his way through the final strap and had pulled Kaylin down next to him, instinctively curling his body around the child in his arms to offer protection as they were both violently flung out of the vehicle during the first of one of its many revolutions down the slope. Luckily for the two of them, they were catapulted to the side and only rolled for a short distance on softer ground before landing on a somewhat flat piece of the bank just thirty feet or so from where the car ultimately came to rest and sank under the rushing river.

He was relieved to feel her wiggling and fighting his grasp when the motion ceased, but knowing how close they were to the water, he redoubled his efforts to hold on while he quickly took inventory of his own body before coughing and struggling to prop himself up slightly to look around. Shoulder, most definitely dislocated, left arm was useless, something still up with his right ankle, duller than the pain in his arm so probably just sprained or not busted as badly. Head still attached and in one piece thankfully, hadn't seemed to connect with anything solid either during his trip down the bank or from anything in the car… fortunate, he thought, as it would have been so easy to become the third or fourth fatality in this instance. Jamie sank back down and groaned as he looked up at the vast distance from where he lay prone on the ground to the top of the bridge he had just jumped off of. Up to this point he hadn't taken the time to consider what the next move might be. His family was going to have a field day with this, but before he worried about that, he needed to figure out just how the hell they were going to get out of _this_ mess right now. As he stared up at his former two partners overhead who were waving and yelling something down that was being obliterated by the wind and the noise of the river, he imagined that neither Renzulli nor Eddie's expressions were probably as bemused as Addison's had been the other night, but thankfully they were too far away to confirm that point. Given the circumstances though hopefully they weren't spitting mad he thought to himself with a slight chuckle of relief, and he slowly lifted his right arm slightly to wave and offer a thumbs up to them so they knew he was alive while at the same time keeping Kaylin pinned against his side one-handed. Even with the semi-warm air, the rain and the wet ground were cold, and he knew that hyperthermia would soon be a concern, so above the obvious safety concerns of a loose toddler in this situation he needed to conserve her body heat given her slight frame.

Jamie turned his attention back to his young, frightened companion. She was tiny and a real lightweight for her age, making him wonder exactly what kind of care she'd had in her short life, and she was now shoved up against his chest regarding him with a familiar look... the one with those sad round wide eyes he couldn't bear. She was clearly scared, but appeared to be okay from all outward appearances with the exception of some small superficial cuts that sent little rivulets of blood down the side of her head. For some reason, Jamie found that sight far more nauseating than the waves of pain shooting from his own shoulder. He spoke softly to her and during a few seconds when she quieted, he quickly reached up to the opposite side to grab his radio, only to find the cord unattached, and the mic smashed. No sign of the main unit on his belt either.

"Oh, that's probably not such a good thing, baby girl," he sighed and proceeded to plan B, reaching in his front pocket and praying as he pulled out his beloved old phone, thankful to find it still somewhat in one piece and noting a missed call from his father once more. The little girl solemnly regarded him as he talked to her. They were going to need each other until someone else could get them out. Another call was coming in, this time from Danny. He must have heard somehow, he reasoned although he desperately hoped his brother had not caught it live on television as that would only result in some unholy confrontation between the two at a later time. The screen was cracked pretty badly, but looked to be still functioning. Unfortunately when Jamie tried to answer the incoming call or dial out he found that many of the functions were unusable. He played with it for a few more minutes before he hit one spot and held it down, hoping the speed dial would still work.

He smiled at Kaylin as he heard the call connect. "I tell you what sweetness, right now we're going to call my daddy, and he's going to get us out of this mess, okay?"

Frank answered on the second ring. He was still in his hotel room in Atlanta, pacing frantically with Detective Baker and DCPI Garrett Moore at his side. "Jamie, thank God!" he exclaimed as he collapsed down on the chair, followed by a brusque, "what the _hell_ were you thinking, _Sergeant Reagan?!"_

"I was thinking that I wasn't going to let this baby girl drown, _Commissioner Reagan, sir_ , that's what I was thinking!" his son retorted with equal vigor. Not many newly promoted officers would have had the stones for that, but this was clearly an instance where the father versus superior officer lines were completely blurred.

"Are you okay?" his dad's voice immediately softened.

"Yeah, I mean for the most part. I think, but we're kind of stuck down here."

"Stuck? Stuck down where? Where are you? We can't see anything from the damn camera angle on the street any more!"

"On the ground just above the waterline," Jamie answered. "My radio's gone and I can't hear anything from anyone else over the sound of the river. The phone is dying and I just can't climb anywhere carrying her right now. I've got a dislocated shoulder for sure and a sprained ankle too maybe. Nothing else though. Kaylin is fine except for some scratches. We could sure use some help getting out of here, Dad."

"I'll have search and rescue to you in no time. Hang tight."

"Yeah, well, it might be a bit of a wait considering, but I'm not planning on going anywhere," Jamie said forcing a small laugh although his eyes were watering a bit from the pain. He didn't want to scare anyone. Not the little girl that was still staring tiredly at him, his father or his fellow patrol officers who had probably been through hell and back in the last few minutes. "Please tell Central to radio Renzulli and Eddie to let them all know we're both ok. They look a little worried up top right now."

"Garrett is on that as we speak," Frank confirmed. "I can't get out of here anytime soon because of the damn storm and all these rescheduled meetings. I'm not going to be able to fly home until the end of the weekend. Air traffic is locked up over the whole East Coast."

"Oh, don't worry about me, Dad," Jamie urged as he was relieved to feel Kaylin relax as she put her head down on his chest, the sound of his voice must have been soothing to the exhausted toddler. "I'm fine. I've been hurt worse playing pickup basketball with Danny. The docs will just have to pop my shoulder back in… I've had it done before. You can sic Erin or Linda on me if it makes you feel any better. I'll be in and out of the ER in a couple of hours with any luck, I promise. Hello? Dad?" With that, Jamie's phone gave up the ghost and died for good. He frowned as he quelled the urge to throw it in the river and instead shoved it back into his pocket. It was going to be a real pain in the ass to replace it.

Finally, after another twenty minutes a welcome voice was heard from above through a bullhorn, "Reagan, you down there?" It was Rick Fellows from one of the NYFD rescue squads. Jamie knew him well. They had worked many accident scenes together over the years. Soon there were multiple ropes dropping down near him, and without any fanfare a body in an orange jumpsuit quickly followed, softly landing just a few yards away.

"Hey, Rick. Good of you to finally show up," Jamie teased as he sighed in relief. "Now how about you get over here and haul my butt out. I've got a special little one here that needs to go with me though."

"Leave it to you, Reagan, to pick up a pretty girl in a place like this," Rick replied as he was shimmying his way across the mud to get to them. "Either of you hurt bad?" he asked as he finally slipped to the ground next to them.

"Nah, she's just got a few bruises and scratches I think. She hasn't been crying or anything since I've held her and she's been moving around fine. I twisted my shoulder and dislocated it, maybe sprained an ankle. Looks like you smoke eaters will need to haul me out on a stretcher though. Try not to enjoy that too much," he kidded and then added seriously in a low voice, "Rick, please make sure she goes in the bus with me, no matter what. I need to stay with her." After everything they had been through in the last half hour or so, Jamie was finding himself strongly attached to the little muddy girl who had just lost her own mother in front of him.

"Got it," Rick said as he gave Jamie and the sleeping child a cursory exam and then dragged the stokes over as they were lowered. Satisfied that all was basically well with his two victims, he continued. "We'll have both of you out of this mess in a minute. Just scoot over here with her and lay down. I'll strap you in for the ride. We're going to use some lines and rigging to lift you up and pull you over to the road. It'll feel like a cheap amusement park date night."

"Counting on it," Jamie said as he did as he was told and sat back. "'Besides," he kidded. "I was ready to take a nap anyway. This little girl wore me out."

"Kids that age will take it out of you," Rick agreed as he began pulling some medical supplies out of his pack and smiled at the sleeping toddler who was completely relaxed now. "You really need one of your own, you know… you've got the touch. Now let's get you wrapped up and out of here." He assumed the pained expression on Jamie's face was the result of the discomfort he caused as he quickly immobilized his arm with a thick bandage to give him some support. "You okay?" he asked as he started to secure the pair into the stokes with a blanket and numerous buckles.

"Yeah," Jamie replied, gritting his teeth a little as he pulled Kaylin even tighter to his chest. "Let's get this over with." He had no idea how innocent comments like that could cut to the bone after the experiences he'd gone through lately.

"Alright, close your eyes and trust the expert smoke eaters who actually know what they're doing to give you a smooth ride back up to the street. And Reagan…"

"Yeah, Rick?"

"Keep your day job, buddy, or bring a longer rope next time."

"You can have the damn thing," Jamie groaned. "I never want to see it again!"

True to his word, Rick had Jamie and Kaylin topside next to the ambulance in a matter of minutes, and he quickly followed suit as members of the Harbor Patrol set up to deal with retrieving the bodies that remained in the car. Eddie and Renzulli arrived back down at the base and ran up as the two were released from the final strapping on the stokes and Jamie was being helped across onto the awaiting stretcher with the little girl still in his arms. "Thanks, Rick," he acknowledged as his rescuer reached out to grasp his hand before walking back to his truck.

"Anytime, Reagan. You take care now."

"You okay, kid?" Renzulli asked worriedly.

"Yep, just fine," Jamie said tiredly as he sat down. "Worn out though. I could use some water."

"Here," Eddie said as she handed him a bottle. She gently brushed some of the dirt off of his face and smiled. "There, you look a little bit better now, and I've always said you were a kid magnet, Reagan," she said laughing at the muddy sight of the two of them while feeling great relief as she glanced behind her at the bridge and the submerged car, and giving thanks while she followed them to the ambulance.

"Only you, Harvard," Renzulli said shaking his head as he followed along and rested a hand on Kaylin's muddy back. "You did good," he said as he teared up a bit and got hoarse with emotion. "Bill would have been the first one in line to shake your hand, I just hope he's got Jayne with him now. I've got to go talk to Brian and tell him what happened. Janko can ride in with you and Wilson will make sure your rookie gets back to the 3-5 in one piece. I'll be down to see you at the hospital in a bit. I don't even want to think about the paperwork this is gonna cost me," he sighed. "I'll be lucky if your old man doesn't hunt me down personally and bust me to a meter maid on Staten Island in front of the whole precinct for letting you pull a stunt like that. I'm gonna look really bad drivin' around in one of those carts, Reagan."

"Don't worry, he's stuck in Atlanta," Jamie smirked as he settled back while they were being loaded into the bus. "We've all got a little time for him to cool off before he gets back. Besides, it'll be Garrett whose head will be spinning by then and he'll be after me. He's the one I'm worried about… the press will go wild over this... they probably already burned up his phone. Any chance you'd be willing to take the credit and keep my face out of the papers again, Sarge?" he asked hopefully as they were rolled into the vehicle and Eddie scooted in and sat on the bench next to him.

"Somehow I don't think we can pull that one off a second time," Renzulli sighed as the doors closed and he gave two bangs on the back to let the driver know they were ready to go. There was no doubt this was going to stir things up on many levels for everyone involved. "Damn, kid. I told you don't do nothing heroic again."

* * *

 _Stirred things up is an understatement. Frank is not the only one with an axe to grind with his son after that stunt, and that kiss might come back to haunt them a little. Next, a pair of Reagan siblings enter the mix to ignite a family war and Eddie is caught in the crossfire._

 _Thanks for the reviews on yesterday's big chapter. I knew everyone would be excited to see our Jamko pair back together again!_


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"Danny, there's just not enough here to issue a search warrant," Erin sighed as she threw the folder across the desk and back at her older brother as he sat in her office. "I don't know why you bother to bring this stuff in here when you know I'm just going to say no anyway."

"C'mon sis, this is a good case," Danny tried a familiar line. "We'll have this guy dead to rights once we get in that apartment and find the stash from the bank heist. He practically admitted it to that cab driver…"

"Hearsay, Detective Reagan. You don't have his testimony and no corroborating evidence…"

Their conversation was suddenly interrupted as Erin's assistant Carrie Wheeler rushed into the room. "ADA REAGAN!" she cried as she frantically searched the desk for the TV remote. "You need to see this right now!" she urged as she flipped to the New York One channel where a breaking news segment was flashing. "There's a car over the embankment near the bridge by the Harlem River and the reporter is saying a police officer is about to go down a rope to try a rescue a baby. I think it's your brother!" she paused to look at Danny who was sitting there with an equally stunned expression on his face. "Your other brother I mean!"

"WHAT?!" Erin screeched as she looked up and stared at the screen with an astounded look. "That can't be…" she trailed off, waiting for the cameraman to pan in and refocus on the officer standing in the distance at the top of the span. His back was turned as he was donning gear and there was no way to tell who it was from that distance or angle. "Jamie's been afraid of heights since he was three because Danny left him stuck up in the treehouse with no way down for two hours when he went next door to talk to Leslie Whittaker," she mused as her eyes remained locked on the monitor.

"Hey, I left him up there with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a juice box didn't I? I told him to stay put and I'd be back…" Danny added before gasping. "Isn't that Janko? WAIT! Did he just kiss her? WHAT THE HELL?!"

"That's Renzulli!" Erin shrieked as the sergeant took his hat off and rubbed his face. "THAT _IS_ JAMIE! OH MY GOD! WHAT IS HE DOING?!" The two were now standing side by side as close as possible to the TV mounted up by the ceiling with their necks locked upwards.

"He's climbing over the side!" Carrie added as the two Reagans had officially been rendered speechless, that was until all three involuntarily cried out "NOOO!" and covered their mouths, their hearts pounding out of their chests when Jamie performed his acrobatics before flipping himself back over and continuing down the line.

"IS HE CRAZY?" Erin yelled as Jamie jumped to the ground. They watched as he paused before dropping his gear and crawling over to the upturned vehicle. Just seconds later Wilson could be heard yelling into his radio for Jamie to get out of the car and they all watched in utter disbelief as it rocked and let loose, tumbling over into the water.

"JAMIE!" Danny and Erin screamed in unison as they looked at the screen and then at each other in absolute shock. Both had gone completely white, and she had tears running down her face.

"DID HE GET OUT? What are they saying?!" Danny demanded as he snatched the remote out of the assistant's hand and turned the volume up to near full power. The camera was showing Renzulli and Eddie moving further down the bridge pointing and waving. Suddenly the reporter cut into the view excitedly.

"We have confirmation the officer and baby have been spotted outside the vehicle!" she announced enthusiastically. "He's given a thumbs up! They're safe!" The crowd of people could be seen cheering and high-fiving behind her in the rain.

"DAMN KID!" Danny swore as he whipped out his phone and hit Jamie's speed dial number without a thought. "I'M GONNA EFFING KILL HIM FOR PULLING A STUNT LIKE THAT!" He threw his device down on the table when there was no answer.

"I'm calling Dad!" Erin squawked as her shaking hands fumbled for her own phone. She got through several minutes later on her third try. "He's spoken to him!" she reported out loud before listening again. "Dad said Jamie's hurt his shoulder and sprained his ankle…" she relayed. "Baby is fine… they're waiting for search and rescue to come in and lift them out." The pair collapsed into the office chairs and continued to watch the coverage as their brother and Kaylin were pulled out in the stokes and loaded into the ambulance. Danny was hot on his phone to Renzulli moments later.

"C'mon, let's go," he ordered his sister as he pulled his keys out. "They're taking them to Mercy West because Bellview is overrun… some kind of big bus accident on the expressway. Let's get over there and see what the hell that damn Harvard kid has to say for himself!"

###

"WHERE IS HE?" Daniel Reagan demanded as he stalked up to the Emergency Room front desk at Mercy West Hospital with Erin in tow. The forty-five minute ride over in pouring down rain and bumper-to-bumper traffic had done nothing to quell his anger as he relived the stark fear that had exploded within him when that car rolled into the river. Erin had likewise wound herself up in the meantime, and the addition of that kiss caught on the camera had been enough to have her seeing red. How dare Jamie show affection to that Janko woman like that after what she did to him.

The pair were directed to a curtained area at the end of the hall and they quickly made their way down to it, pausing for a second before Danny ripped it open. They were surprised to find the bed empty and succeeded only in startling Eddie who was sitting in the chair next to it.

"WHERE IS MY BROTHER, THE IDIOT?!" Danny barked at her.

"Oh, um, he's gone in for x-rays and they were going to see about trying to put his shoulder back in," Eddie answered nervously as she shifted her gaze back and forth between them. It was obvious that Jamie's brother and sister were more than slightly upset at this time and she hated such personal confrontations.

"I still can't believe he was so _stupid!"_ Erin yelled furiously. "And you, _Officer_ Janko! What are you doing here? You let him jump off a bridge in front of you?! _Are you a crazy person?_ It wasn't enough that you walked away and broke his heart when he was sick to death with pneumonia? Some kind of partner! Now what are you trying to do? Finish him off for good?!" All the breath in Eddie's body left her and her heart stopped as she stared back dumbfounded at a fuming Erin Reagan. So that's what his whole family thought of her now. She tried to mouth 'I'm sorry' back, but she was frozen in place and her lips just couldn't form the words.

"ERIN!" Jamie gasped as the nurse wheeled him around the corner and back to the treatment area to wait while the x-rays for his ankle were reviewed. He was wearing his black t-shirt and a pair of dark blue scrub bottoms since the rest of his uniform had been completely caked in mud and he had managed to sweet talk the young impressionable nurse out of making him change into a gown. The orthopaedist had already popped his shoulder back in place and situated his arm in an immobilizer after he refused any IV pain medication, knowing that his reaction to just a touch of that would have seen him admitted overnight at the very least. There was no way he was staying here in the overcrowded hospital for any longer than absolutely necessary.

"That's not fair, and it's none of your _damn_ business!" he seethed. Seeing his sister confront Eddie like that had opened up an anger valve within him and he had a feeling this was not going to go so well.

"You're my little brother and I'm making it _my_ business!" Erin spat as she followed him back behind the curtain where he stood and hopped up on the bed. "I want to talk about it, Jamie! You could have gotten yourself killed!"

"Yeah, but I didn't," he snarked back, "and keep your voice down! We're in a hospital for God's sake!"

"He saved a kid's life," Eddie managed to whisper in Jamie's defense, although no one else's attention was drawn directly to her at this point as the three Reagans were laser-focused on one another. This had all the makings for a classic knock-down, drag-out sibling rumble.

"I know, and I'm proud of him for that, but I guess I'm just not used to him putting himself in harm's way on live television!" Erin continued to rage. "This, this hero stuff... I've always told you this is going to get you killed! Is that what you want to do to the family? Put us through another funeral? I can't lose another brother!" she cried as her voice finally broke.

"Well, it's good to see I'm not the only knucklehead in the family," Danny managed to break in gruffly. For a moment he almost tried to be the calmer voice of reason since that boat had already obviously sailed for his sister. She was livid and practically besides herself now, and he actually felt a twinge of sympathy for his younger brother and his former partner who was standing back with a deer-in-the-headlights look. "Besides, he should be more concerned about the publicity right now. I can see the headlines now once they get a hold of you... 'PCs Golden Brainchild Swan Dives off Bridge to Save Baby'... They'll have you running for mayor by noon tomorrow, or maybe you're jonesing for Dad's job now? You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into, kid!"

"Then I'll handle that too!" Jamie growled, feeling cornered suddenly. They were treating him as if he were an infant and two against one was so unfair. Joe would have had his back and judging from her expression, Eddie looked like she might be ready to bolt again. He had to break this up before that happened and he ended up back at square one with her. "I'm not five years old! The two of you don't have to hold my hand when I cross the street anymore! Not that Danny ever did a good job at that in the first place or have you forgotten about that little trip in for stitches we took when you knocked me into that storm drain! If there's fallout for this I'll take it! I did what I had to do to save that little girl and I'm not going to apologize to anyone for it!"

"Yeah, well just wait until Dad gets home!" Erin spouted childishly nodding at Eddie. "And it's obvious from the fact she's here that you can't be trusted to make any decisions for yourself right now!" She was nowhere near ready to let this go and that last comment was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. Jamie had finally reached his limit.

"That's the best you could come up with, counselor?" he replied coldly with complete intent as he stared her down with a fierce gaze; his eyes had flattened and gone dark. Even Danny paused at that tone and look… they were in uncharted territory here. His two younger brothers had always been the peacekeepers, the voices of reason… now Jamie had a razor sharp edge to him that Danny had never seen before. He was distinctly Frank Reagan's son right now and he could have backed down the toughest perp, or perhaps even their own father at that moment. It was apparent to both of the older siblings that they had finally pushed him too far.

"Get out."

"What?" Erin mouthed in surprise.

"Get out," he repeated evenly with his hazel eyes now burning intently. "Both of you, and don't come speak to me again until you're ready to treat me like an adult."

"Jamie, I…" Erin attempted to defuse the situation. She was startled at this turn of events and completely unnerved by the icy venom in her little brother's voice right now.

"Out," he insisted with the same timbre, "or I'll call security and have them escort you out. Wonder what the press would say about that, hmm? Erin? Danny? Wanna find out?" No one in the room even considered for a split second that he might be bluffing now.

"How... how will you get home?" Erin blabbered tearfully after a long, shocked pause; she was quickly shifting away from her angry fearful overreaction and back into a more appropriate worried big sister mode, but it was already far too late for that to help.

"I'll handle it," he replied, still with an unwavering stare, and for once in his life he paid no heed to her softer approach. "Just like everything else I need to do. Now GO! I don't want either of you here anymore!"

Erin blinked back a few times before her eyes filled as her lip quivered and she turned heel and left. Danny was still staring in disbelief at the events that had just unfolded, and he just shook his head a little and mumbled, "Feel better, kid," before following her path out of the area.

Eddie was still trembling from the intense encounter and made no move to step away from her spot pressed up against the wall. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I never wanted to come between you and your family. They all think I'm a terrible person for what I did to you."

"That?" Jamie asked as he flipped a mental switch and turned his attention back to her while offering a small smile with eyes that were softly twinkling now. "Honey, that was nothing. Don't worry about it for a second… we're stubborn Irish Catholics after all and I owed them a good dressing down after all of these years. It felt kinda good." He sighed as he leaned back against the bed and caught sight of the stripes from his shirt sleeve laying on the muddy pile of clothes sitting on the nearby chair. "Maybe they issued me a better poker face with the new rank... I dunno. I just didn't feel like taking it from them anymore. Erin had no right to speak to you like that and Danny can take his publicity crap and shove it. Like I was going to worry about that while all this was happening. He should talk. It'll all work out once they get over themselves. Now c'mere," he encouraged as he playfully patted the bed next to him. "Let's talk about that kiss we had earlier. I'm much more interested in that."

"How do you do it, Jamie?" she asked in wonder. "Just brush something like that off and not care what they think? I could never…."

"Sure you can," he said as he rubbed his forehead, the throb in his shoulder was making itself known again as the local wore off. "It just takes practice. Trust me, once you get a few Sunday dinners under your belt you'll be ready to come out swinging with the best of them. Grandpa can give you some pointers; he's seen it all." He paused to look at her, knowing that comment had already made her tense back up. "When you're ready, Janko," he added softly, "and not before. I'm not going to rush you into anything. You're more important right now and when you let me know it's the right time we'll face all of that stuff together. I promise, okay? Everyone will cool off in a few days, we always do. Trust me, I get what it feels like now to be scared to do something that seems perfectly natural to someone else. You'll know when you're ready to make the leap when..."

"Harvard!" Renzulli interrupted as he appeared next to the curtain suddenly looking out of sorts as he eyed Jamie and Eddie nervously. "Jesus, I just passed your brother and sister on the way outta here and I thought you must have died from the looks of them. What the hell happened?"

"Nothing, Sarge," Jamie waved him off. "Minor family disagreement. What's up? How's Kaylin doing? I haven't been able to check since they took her away to the pediatric unit. I was headed up there as soon as the doc comes back and clears my ankle so I can get discharged."

"She seems fine physically," Renzulli sighed as he pushed the muddy clothes over and sat down heavily on the plastic chair. "She's been crying a lot though… wouldn't let me touch her. I think 'cause she scared and bruised up a little but they're gonna keep her overnight just for observation, after that I don't know. I called my wife but she can't get here until late because of the weather. Speaking about family disagreements…" he muttered.

"What?" Jamie frowned as he sat back up on the bed. Something in his old partner's tone had caught his attention.

"Brian," the older man seethed. "I could knock his head in. Damn kid's the only living relative that little girl has right now and Jayne had him listed as her guardian… he doesn't want her. When I went to tell him about his sister he said he can't handle anything like that right now… starting the academy, he's only twenty-one and single, bla bla bla. Won't even come down here and see that she's alright. Told me to call CPS for her. He's probably right though, neither of those kids have ever had it together. I swear, Reagan, if me and the missus were ten years younger…"

"He's giving her up?" Jamie gasped as he looked at Eddie in shock. His mind was spinning now. For whatever reason he had just assumed that somehow the little girl was going to end up with family. God forbid, if something had ever happened to Erin he couldn't imagine not taking Nicki in himself if needed no matter what age he was at the time.

"Yeah," Renzulli sighed. "I had to call that Adams woman, the social worker from the 9th street office while I was on the way over here. She's tied up until later but she'll be by in a few hours to get a placement started."

"What room is she in?" Jamie asked as he swung his legs over the bed once more. "Eddie, go get that wheelchair back here, please," he asked.

"Second floor, 219, and just where the hell do you think you're going?" Renzulli bristled. "You haven't been cleared yet!" He saw that determined look come over Jamie's face again and knew he wouldn't be put off for long. "Janko, keep that chair away from him and you just sit tight, kid. I'll go find your doc and we'll get this ankle sorted first. They've gotta have some kind of express service for superheros and I'm already gonna lose my stripes over this. You're not walking out of here on a broken leg on top of everything else."

* * *

 _You knew that wasn't going to go so well, right? Next up, Kaylin's future remains uncertain and Jamie is forced to make a huge life-altering decision. Will anyone be there to back him up or is he off on his own this time?_


	16. Chapter 16

_Special thanks to BlueBlood82 for her help with some of the details in the next few chapters!_

* * *

Chapter 16

Twenty-five minutes later, Eddie and Renzulli wheeled Jamie up to the second floor with his bag of dirty clothes and discharge papers on his lap, booted up in an aircast for his sprained ankle complete with an admonishment from the doctor to stay off his feet and a five-day mandatory leave before he was eligible to return to work on modified duty. They quickly located room 219 in the pediatrics ward with its walls full of bright paint and rainbow motifs. Judging from the soft sobs coming from within though, a certain someone was scared and not very happy in her accommodations at the moment. Renzulli quickly cleared their visit with the duty nurse. "She's been shutting down and not responding to anyone since she came in," the kindly older woman worried. "We can't find any serious injuries... just a lot of bruising from the safety belts, but we see this with physical and emotional trauma for children in these situations all the time. She screams at the top of her lungs though if anyone touches her. I understand this was a very bad accident… her mother was killed? Poor thing, you never know how much of that they understand at this age. She hasn't rested and won't even take a bottle or anything else to drink. The doctor will order us to start an IV soon unless we can get her settled."

"Let Sergeant Reagan have a minute or two with her then," Renzulli assured. "He's the one that pulled her out of the car and rode in with her. She knows me a little, but she seems to trust him more. He's really good with kids."

Eddie pushed Jamie up to the crib and then stepped back as he gently waved her off. It broke his heart to see the little girl curled up in a tight ball in the back corner of the metal bed, hiding her face from everyone. "Kaylin," he called softly. "Hey, baby girl it's me... policeman Jamie. Do you remember, sweetheart?"

She quieted immediately at the sound of his calm familiar tone and slowly rolled over and turned her head a few seconds later, sitting back up to face him while sadly rubbing her tired eyes. "Jammie," she squeaked in a little voice hoarse from crying. There had sadly been far too many reasons for that today.

"Yeah, okay... Jammie," he grinned back. "We'll go with that for now, no problem. You want to come over here, sweetness? Look, they cleaned all of that stinky mud off of me and fixed my arm. I could sure use a hug from you right now. Officer Eddie and Uncle Tony can give us a hand and we can go sit in the chair over there together if you want, it's better than being alone behind bars... can't have that for such a pretty girl. I bet I can find the best cartoons in the whole hospital on the TV. What do you like to watch?"

"Bear," she answered quietly after a few moments as she settled, his quiet distraction method was working, "in boo house."

"Ah, 'Bear in the Big Blue House' is one of my all time favorites, excellent choice," he smiled as Renzulli helped him over to the padded recliner while Eddie dropped the front of the crib to reach over and retrieve the little girl. "Go ahead," Jamie encouraged when she hesitated. "Officer Eddie will bring you here."

Kaylin relented and allowed herself to be carefully picked up and brought over where she quickly settled in and snuggled up to the right side of Jamie's chest. The nurse gave him a soft blanket to cover her with and a cup of juice that he managed to get her to take a few sips of through a crazy straw every couple of minutes as he chatted with her quietly while they perused the on demand channels before finally landing on the prize as the big oversized singing bear filled up the screen. It was only a few minutes, however, until her eyes grew heavy and she drifted off in exhaustion.

"Boy, he is a natural," the nurse commented with relief to Renzulli and Eddie as they stood off to the side. "How many kids of his own does he have?"

"None yet," the older sergeant admitted with a smirk as he eyeballed Eddie and she caught his look. "Ahem, I mean I think it's in the genes. He's a lot like his old man… you know the type… comes from a big close family."

"Well let me know if he wants to give up his day job," the older woman smiled. "We could use someone like him... he's saved that little girl a lot of grief. As upset as she was I sure didn't want to compound that by poking around and strapping her arm down if I didn't have to. Tell him he's welcome to stay with her as long as he wants."

"I'll do that," Renzulli said thoughtfully as he observed his old boot. Jamie had pushed the recliner back all the way and closed his eyes as Kaylin slept. He sure didn't look like he was going anywhere soon. "What are you thinking, Harvard?" he asked as he pulled another chair up in the room. Eddie did the same.

"I'm thinking I didn't go through all that to save her just to let her go now, Sarge," was the soft reply. The wheels were turning in Jamie's head now.

Renzulli huffed and rubbed his chin as he leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. He'd figured as much given Jamie's reaction to the foster care news, and although he wanted to see to it that Kaylin ended up in good hands, it was a lot to ask of anyone. "Kid, that's a long road to go down. You sure? I mean those CPS people are real sticklers for regulations and you're a single guy and all. I don't even know if they would allow it. Don't jam yourself up over this," he added, looking at Eddie and trying to read her reaction. This had been a big day of revelations for her as well. "I mean what will your family think? Maybe you should take some time to talk to them..."

"Don't care what they think," Jamie interrupted. "It's my life. You said yourself that kids fall through the cracks all the time when they get in the system. That's not gonna happen here… not to her. I couldn't live with myself." He opened his eyes suddenly and looked directly at Renzulli and Eddie. "I can do this... I need to."

"Jamie, do you really think that going into this is a good idea when you're not sure if your family will back you?" Eddie questioned, thinking back to the big confrontation with his siblings down in the ER just an hour ago. She couldn't imagine stirring up the pot any further if she were in his shoes. Her own family life had been so chaotic with an overbearing mother and a father that was now in jail that doing something like this intentionally without their blessing would have been out of the question. There had nearly been another world war once they found out she was going to be a cop… that was the one thing she had done in her life that went against the grain and it had caused a great deal of grief. On top of all that she already felt badly for prompting much of the current rift between Jamie and his sister.

"It'll be fine," he smiled back and looked at her intently. " _Trust me."_

"You keep saying that…" she trailed off as she pursed her lips. She could sense that he was looking for her support and this was it… the big leap that he had just talked about downstairs. If she didn't stand behind Jamison Reagan on this she might as well kiss off any hopes of ever having a relationship with him even if it caused enormous waves within his family. Well so be it then, she sighed and toughened up her resolve, ready to jump in with added conviction, "If this is what you want, Jamie… I'll back you all the way. Tell me how I can help."

Deep relief flooded his eyes as he sensed they had just crossed a major threshold together. "Thank you," he mouthed as the emotion caught up in his throat and his glance went down to the little girl sleeping at his side again. After a few moments of thought he turned to Renzulli as his lawyer gears were loosened and starting to grind at full speed. Kaylin was staying, he'd make damn sure of it now. "Sarge, I think we can get them to hold an emergency hearing in Surrogate's court if we can convince Brian to sign off on having her placed with me under a temporary guardianship order… you said he's listed as Kaylin's current custodian, otherwise Ms. Adams will have grounds to do whatever she wants since I'm not certified as a foster parent yet. I've gotta look things up but I know there's some kind of clearances needed and affidavits to be filed."

"Here," Eddie said as she quickly pulled the information up on her phone. "You need a lawyer to prepare the order and petition for certification, marital history and criminal history affidavits."

"Yeah, I think I can take care of those," Jamie muttered until he looked down and realized that his one good arm was tied up underneath a sleeping child and he wasn't exactly free to do as he pleased at the moment. "On second thought I've got a buddy that works in family law uptown who can draft all that… I'll give him a call now. He owes me a big-time favor and he'll do anything for a case of good beer. Next."

"Three letters of reference from unrelated people," Eddie ticked off. She paused as she looked up. "Probably best if you stay away from me with my family's history."

Jamie sighed as he met her gaze. "You have nothing to be ashamed of Janko," he insisted softly as he shook his head, relenting as she blinked back with that big doe-eyed look that made him melt inside. No need to press her on this now as much as it pained him to know how heavily her father's conviction still weighed on her. "Sarge, Wilson and Walsh," he named.

"Thirty hours of course training, medical clearance, criminal and child abuse background checks, tax forms and a formal home study."

"So I have the medical, to a point," he laughed as he regarded the less-than-stylish sling and cast he was currently sporting, "I've got a copy of the clearance Dr. Holden just gave me for the NYPD and my background checks are all up to date because of the job. Tax returns are easy, God knows I have those. We just need to get Ms. Adams to agree to have CPS go for the home study and I can petition the court to grant an extension to give me time to get the coursework completed." His eyes were bright and his heart rate picked up a bit as he looked at the other two. Things were clicking into place… this could really happen. "Do you think you can get Brian on board, Sarge?"

"Oh, that numbnut will be on board," Renzulli vowed. "I'll cuff him and drag him there myself if I have to. I'll just remind him that you're the Commissioner's kid and if he has any hope of passing the academy he'd better buck up and do the right thing."

"No," Jamie said shaking his head. "No hooks. Gotta do this right or it will come back to bite us some way. This is all my doing and I need to keep my family out of it."

"You just leave Brian up to me," Renzulli promised. "He'll be wherever he needs to be with bells on."

"What about the home study?" Eddie piped back in. "Suppose she wants to go over and check out your place right away? Should I go straighten up?"

"Boy, you weren't foolin' when you said you two never…" Renzulli smirked and then stopped himself short and cleared his throat as he looked up at Jamie's glare. "I mean has she ever been to your apartment before? You could eat off the bathroom floor there at any given time, Janko. Even I know that. I'd be shocked if there was a pillow out of place."

"No it's clean," Jamie affirmed thoughtfully. "I'd just have to make up the spare room for her. There's a single bed in there right now. Nicki and the boys use it when they sleep over. It's not exactly set up for a two-year-old."

"Leave it and just put an air mattress on floor until you can get that settled," Renzulli suggested. "That's what we've done for Jayne when she's stayed with us off and on in the past. My missus will be wearing out our charge card when she hears about this anyway. Adele's always wanted to dress that little girl up but Jayne would leave anything we bought for her with whatever dirtbag she was seeing at the time or sell it for money. God rest her soul," he added as he crossed himself. "No one's left to take care of that either. Somehow I'm gonna have to figure out how to do right by her. Bill would never forgive me…" he sighed.

"That I can probably help you with," Jamie said softly as Kaylin started to stir. "I don't mind playing on the family name a little for that. I can talk to some people. It is for her mom after all," he added sadly before looking up with a bit of a cheeky smile. "I feel like we need a code name since we're going in stealth. How about Operation KaR… Kaylin's a Reagan? So it's really a go then?"

"It's a go," Eddie and Renzulli both nodded and agreed.

* * *

 _So he's got a few peeps with his back, but not the family yet. How far is Jamie willing to take this alone and how will the rest of the Reagans react?_


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

"Sergeant Reagan, as I understand it you have requested this emergency hearing to petition for temporary guardianship of the minor child Kaylin Jeffers in advance of a request for a permanent foster placement once you have had the opportunity to complete the required coursework for certification. Is this correct?" Judge Marla White questioned.

"Yes, your Honor," Jamie replied from his seat at the courtroom table. He was dressed in his most stylish grey suit, a throwback to his lawyer days, but his gold badge was clipped on the front pocket. He had spent the entire night at the hospital with Kaylin and Eddie had been charged with helping him quickly retrieve an appropriate change of clothes once they received notification that a court appearance had been granted at two o'clock Friday afternoon. Mrs. Renzulli had stepped in to stay with the toddler in his absence as she was the only other person besides 'Jammie' at this point that the little girl would accept without tears. Always a stickler for regulations, Ms. Adams from CPS had not been in favor of the KaR plan once she'd arrived at the hospital the evening before, but thus far Jamie had been able to block her attempts to quash his petition. Now that they were in the courtroom, he was in his realm and confident he could push things through.

Judge White looked down over her glasses. "Do you wish to have counsel present?" she asked.

"I will be representing myself," Jamie answered. "I'm a graduate of Harvard Law and a current member of the New York State Bar."

"An NYPD Sergeant and a Harvard Law graduate," Judge White observed as she eyed his immobilized arm, knowing full well the circumstances of the day before as the entire rescue had been covered live on New York One and the talk of the town since. "And apparently some kind of romantic failed Cirque du Soleil enthusiast," she added candidly.

"No ma'am," Jamie smiled warmly, trying to stay on her good side. "Those were extenuating circumstances."

"I see," she continued as she shuffled through the paperwork. "It appears that the child's current named guardian, Mr. Brian Jeffers, has avowed the petition," she looked up as Renzulli poked Brian in the side and he confirmed her statement. Eddie was conspicuously missing from the courtroom, however, Jamie noted with a little apprehension. She had seemed so committed to the cause before. "I'll hear reasons against from Patricia Adams of Child Protective Services. Has Sergeant Reagan completed all other requirements for foster certification?" she asked.

"Yes, your Honor, with the exception of a full home study. An initial inspection has been made." Adams answered.

"And the environment was found to be suitable?"

"Yes, your Honor," Adams answered again. She had been rather shocked the evening before when Jamie had tossed his keys to Renzulli and had the sergeant escort the social worker directly to his apartment where it was found to be in pristine condition of course, not something she had expected from a single young man on such short notice.

"So what are your objections? As I understand from the police and hospital reports, Sergeant Reagan saved this child's life at great risk to his own personal safety and she responds well to his presence, indeed the doctor's notes mention the fact that he was able to avert further medical intervention by calming her and successfully getting her to sleep, eat and drink after her trauma. I don't quite understand your stance against."

"Your Honor, Sergeant Reagan would be a single parent in a dangerous occupation with a rotating shift schedule. We do not feel that placing an already traumatized child into such a chaotic situation is in her best interest."

"Sergeant Reagan, do you have a support system in place?" Judge White questioned as her eyes roamed the courtroom. "Frankly, you do come from a rather public family and I do not see any of them represented in the gallery today."

Jamie's breath hitched a little in his throat, perhaps his plan to do this on his own was about to backfire. "Your Honor, I do come from a large, tight-knit family. My father was unavailable today as he is at a conference out of state and my brother and sister are currently in another court on other business. Today's hearing was hastily scheduled. If needed, I can count on any of them for support."

"And if they are all otherwise busy?" she inquired. Suddenly the back door of the courtroom opened and a dozen uniformed officers from both the 12th and 3-5 precincts filled the room. Renzulli nodded his approval as watched his men and women line up with pride. "What is this?" Judge White questioned at the rather unorthodox display.

Eddie stood in the forefront. "Your Honor, in addition to his personal family, Sergeant Reagan is part of the larger NYPD brethren. Kaylin's maternal grandfather was also a longtime officer, honorably serving at ground zero when the towers fell. We take care of our own, even when they're not here with us anymore. These are just some of the off duty members of the 12th and 3-5 precincts that are willing to stand behind the sergeant and support him in whatever way is necessary in this endeavor. We all believe he would make an excellent father and role model for this little girl."

Jamie was a little overwhelmed as he looked at all of his friends and fellow officers and he turned back around to face the judge with strong sense of gratification. He was especially pleased to see George and so many members of his new platoon from the 3-5 since he had only been there a short while. Eddie had certainly come through in spades for him this time.

"Well, I'm certainly not going to argue with that," Judge White commented as she signed the necessary paperwork and banged the gavel down. "Your petition is granted, Sergeant Reagan. I am awarding you temporary guardianship of the minor child Kaylin Jeffers immediately with an extension of thirty days to complete the needed coursework requirements. CPS will be in contact with you regarding the home study. Congratulations."

Renzulli was beaming as he slapped Jamie on the back and offered him a cigar. "You did good, kid! I told you that little girl needed a dad!"

###

"So what do we do now, pappa Reagan?" Eddie smirked from her seat on the floor of Jamie's living room as they shared a pizza from the box on the coffee table and a few beers while Kaylin explored the apartment and played with a number of toys that had been hastily donated by members of her new family in blue. She had been released from the hospital upon their return from court so they now found themselves moving on to the next stage of the operation. In addition to the gifts from the officers, Adele Renzulli had indeed warmed up her credit card and delivered a week's full wardrobe for the little girl and a new car seat. "You know your apartment is never gonna look the same again."

"Yeah, I get that now," he said as he watched in amusement as any number of stuffed animals were named, talked to and placed in strategic locations among his comfortable and classic decor as someone commenced with making herself at home. Kaylin was starting to wind down with the late hour though and soon cuddled up on a blanket and pillow next to them. "Guess I'm just gonna have to adjust from the looks of it."

"Well you're not going to be able to hide her if anyone visits, that's for sure," Eddie observed. "I still can't believe you did this. How are you going to tell your family? I mean are you just going to show up to Sunday dinner with her in tow and sit her down at the table next to you?"

"No, that won't go over well," Jamie admitted tiredly. The events of the last thirty-six hours and the previous night's broken sleep in the hospital chair were starting to wear on him. "I've gotta tell my dad first... he needs to be on board, but this isn't something I can do if it's not in person. I'm gonna have to wait until he comes home on Sunday. We were so busy today, I forgot to get my phone replaced. Erin must have been bending his ear about our little run in at the ER by now. They talk about every single thing like that. I'm surprised he hasn't sent someone to break down my door and make sure I'm still alive. You can never be sure what he knows though… he's the PC as he likes to remind us at every possible opportunity."

After a few more moments he sat up slightly and turned to face her as another realization hit him. "So we've been together for like a whole day and a half now. I guess I'm gonna have to ask you out on a real date, Edit," he smirked, "but now I need to worry about getting a babysitter first."

"Reagan, we've been out together like a hundred times," Eddie laughed. "Or have you forgotten the last two years."

"Not the same," Jamie said as he leaned back against the couch and closed his eyes. "And I'm sorry if all this complicates things now, but a girl like you needs to be wooed. At least that's what Gramps and Linda tell me."

"Wooed? Is that really still a word?"

"Yes," Jamie smiled. "I intend to properly woo you, Edit Janko." The last sentence was said slowly and nearly slurred as he relaxed back into the cushions and was quickly drifting away.

"Well alright," Eddie said as she turned to look at his face. His spirit was light hearted, but he looked physically exhausted. The stress of the day had taken a heavy toll on him, and she worried that his energy was fading so quickly. "Does that mean that all forms of physical contact are out until then?" she asked.

"Not a chance," he said as he reached over quickly and pulled her in and kissed her deeply. His eyes opened and met hers as they broke apart. "I've waited long enough for that. Stay here tonight," he pleaded.

"Reagan, I'm not going..."

"Just sleep, Janko. No pressure," he laughed. "I'm not ready for anything else and we have company right now. I just want to fall asleep next to you."

"Well good to know, but if you'd let me finish you would have heard me say that I'm not going anywhere. I'm not going to let you here alone while you're hurt and you have a little girl to take care of. I would never do that. But I switched shifts with Kara today to stay with you so I need to get out of here early and go to work tomorrow morning. Okay with you, Reagan?"

"Yeah, Janko. That's the best thing I've ever heard."

* * *

 _Next up, an early morning visitor takes Eddie and Jamie by surprise, but will the tables be turned on them instead? One of my favorite all-time events out of any of the stories in either series so far._


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Edit Janko never imagined in her wildest dreams that her first night in bed with Jamie would include the presence of a softly snoring little two-year-old girl nestled in between them with a tendency to roll wildly around and hog the pillows and blankets, but that's exactly what happened as the three spent the night in one room when Kaylin proved to be too insecure in the new environment to stay in the other guest bedroom on her own. Paranoid that the restless child would fall off the bed after they woke up to start the morning before Eddie left for work, Jamie did carry the little one, who was now deeply asleep, to her spot on the air mattress and gently tucked her in before he stepped into the shower as Eddie made her way into the kitchen to make some breakfast.

She was standing there at the stove lost in thought while sporting an old soft Property of Harvard t-shirt and a pair of running shorts he had hastily dug out of a drawer for her to sleep in when she heard a sharp knock at the apartment door followed almost immediately by the sound of keys in the lock. Concerned with who might be coming in at such an early hour and fearing for some chilling reason that it might be Addison, she walked towards the door and her heart froze instantly and her breathing likewise ceased as the imposing presence of Commissioner Frank Reagan filled the entryway, dressed in his normal business suit and tan overcoat. His eyes lit on her and his eyebrows arched up in surprise as her first reaction was to comically snap to attention while still holding the spatula in her right hand. There were no words between them for a few moments before he managed to start. "As you were, Officer Janko," he muttered in disbelief at the awkwardness of the situation, "and I think something might be burning on the stove."

"Oh no!" she wailed as that broke her trance and she dashed off to move the pan and turn the burner off. "I'm… I'm so sorry Commissioner Reagan!… I didn't expect you, sir… Jamie said you weren't coming back... until tomorrow..." she stuttered frantically and Frank thought the poor girl looked as if she were about to hyperventilate. Knowing what he had been told about her state of mind, he sensed that he needed to head this off before she worked her way into a full blown anxiety attack and there was still no sign of his wayward son at the moment.

"Edit," he admonished and caught her attention once more. "Half the East Coast watched you kiss my son on live television before he jumped off a bridge, and now you're standing in his apartment at 6:30 in the morning wearing one of his t-shirts and making pancakes. I think you can call me Frank now."

"Oh," she paused as the unexpected comment had its intended effect and she calmed down as she was forced to consider the implication of that statement. Any further conversation between them was interrupted as Jamie emerged from the bedroom, still toweling off his wet head but thankfully already dressed in a loose shirt and sweatpants.

"Dad!" he exclaimed in shock as he looked between the two of them, relieved to note that Eddie had not bolted yet. _What a way to make an introduction… or two,_ he thought nervously. "Um, what exactly are you doing here?" he asked as he glanced anxiously back towards the guest bedroom. Frank caught the look but did not know what to make of it and his attention had been drawn to Eddie since his arrival so he had failed to pick up on the host of stuffies still littered around the living room. "I thought you were stuck in Atlanta until tomorrow," Jamie managed to choke out.

"You're a hard man to get a hold of, son," Frank tutted. "I took the redeye back to check on you myself after chatting with your sister yesterday. She and Danny were afraid to come themselves for fear you would call in a 10-52 against them."

"Yeah, right… um, sorry about that," his youngest admitted sheepishly as he hung his head a little. None of the Reagan siblings liked to be scolded by their father. Eddie was looking on with wide eyes, feeling a little guilty but completely thankful that the attention had been shifted away from herself. "I haven't exactly had the time to replace my phone yet."

Frank eyed his son's bruised exterior, noting the immobilized arm and the significant limp from his injured ankle. "You're really okay, then?" he prodded with relief at seeing him somewhat mobile at least. "I wasn't sure what to think."

Jamie smirked back and rolled his eyes a little. He knew his father wouldn't believe what he was told until he had laid his eyes directly on him. Erin had probably made him out to be concussed and broken beyond repair in the inevitable report she had given after the big incident at the ER, which would explain the hasty flight back and the early morning unannounced visit. "Yeah, like I said before… just some bumps, a sprained ankle and dislocated shoulder. It's nothin'. They've got me booted up so I can walk and in this damn sling for a couple of weeks or so. Now what's up, Pop?" he asked, nervously wondering just how much Frank might know about the certain other big surprise that was in store for him. Jamie hadn't really had time to formulate a plan about how to spring that one on his dear dad yet, and from what he could sense for once the police commissioner didn't know everything, and this was about to hit like a bolt out of the blue.

And then it did.

"Jammie!... where you? _p'ease!"_

As if on cue, a small tired voice could suddenly be heard crying out from the spare bedroom. Kaylin was awake and the jig was up. Frank arched his eyebrows up in surprise for a second time that morning and looked quickly between his youngest and Eddie… at that moment even the mighty Frank Reagan had absolutely no idea what to think as his mind rolled through a hundred possible scenarios in an instant. None of them fit with the details he knew but that didn't keep him from wondering. There was a heavy pause before he cleared his throat and spoke.

"Ahem, Jammie? Is there _something else_ I should know about, son?"

"Yeah, um, about that..." Jamie said as his eyes got a little glassy and he took a deep breath. The events of the past few days and all the consequences that now entailed were just starting to hit him all at once and he paused to run his hand through his still-wet hair. "Why don't you both just have a seat at the table… grab some coffee and get started on breakfast. I'll be right back. We need to talk and I think there's someone you probably should meet now, Dad."

Frank stood back up immediately when Jamie came into the room a few minutes later holding the tearful toddler clutching her blanket and regarded the little blond-headed girl with a shocked half smile. This was certainly an unexpected turn of events and suddenly he had no doubt as to who the little one might be. He sighed, sensing where this might be going and quickly thought back to the same feeling he and Mary had every time their youngest son had appeared on the back porch holding a shoebox with holes poked in it housing some unfortunate injured or lost creature or carrying in a dog or kitten that followed him home with a hurt paw. This was that a hundred-fold over and considering the Reagans did not own any pets due to Mary's allergies, they had spent a small fortune over the years in vet bills fixing those in need. Jamie had always been the good-hearted one who tried to save every proverbial puppy in the pound but this was a stretch, even for him. Pursing his lips, Frank gave in to the inevitable. "Well who do we have here? I'm guessing your name is Kaylin?" he asked softly as he leaned down to speak to her at eye level.

Her big blue eyes opened wider at his imposing figure, but there was a sparkle in his eye and a tone in his voice that she immediately trusted. Frank Reagan always had a special way with children, and it was no different with this little girl. Kaylin hesitated and then without a prompt reached out to crawl into his grasp. Surprised at her action at first, he shifted her around until she was settled before sitting down. His lower lip trembled almost imperceptibly at the sight of the nasty bruising visible on the side of her innocent trusting face and little shoulders as she relaxed in his arms and looked up at him while Jamie explained the circumstances behind her presence there.

"Does your brother or sister know about this?" he asked softly, his mind swirling at the news although he already knew the answer. All his life, Jamie had been the one child of his that could never fail to surprise his father, but this… an instant grandchild out of the blue surely took the top prize in that department, even bumping his decision to drop law and attend the police academy down to second on the list of shockers. Sydney's abrupt departure wasn't even on the map now.

"Nope," Jamie said flatly. "Not interested in their opinion on it either."

"You're sure about this, son?"

"Without a doubt. I can't explain it, Dad. I mean I was willing to jump off a bridge for her…" Frank was still trying to wrap his head around that one, Jamie was known to get nervous on stepladders, "...and I knew that from the very first second I laid eyes on her a few weeks ago. I've just never felt anything close to that before, you know? And now her mom is gone and her uncle wants nothing to do with her. He just gave her up and I couldn't walk away. Somehow I just think that it was meant to be."

"It's the same thing you experience when you have your own child, Jamie. There's nothing quite in the world like it. I think it's just something that's hardwired into us, the deep desire to have and protect our own. Maybe this little one's just come to you in a different way." He paused as he looked around the table and caught Eddie's eye. She had settled with the conversation but still looked a little nervous and overwhelmed. Quite honestly, he was feeling the same at the moment.

"So I take it we'll be setting an extra couple of places for Sunday dinner from now on?" he inquired, hoping that a good night's sleep and the prospect of being a single father might have his son willing to bury the hatchet with his siblings without further intervention on his part.

"No, Dad. I'm not ready to do that yet, at least not now," Jamie answered as he reached over and grabbed Eddie's hand to stop her before she could say anything. He was prepared to take all the pressure off of her in this instance and claim it for himself. "I need some time to process this and I'm not bringing Kaylin or Eddie straightaway into a big conflict with Erin and Danny. It's not fair to either of them. We'll worry about dinner when the rest of this gets sorted and everyone is ready for it. Until then I hope you can respect my decision to stay away. I've got a mandatory four more days of leave before the doc will sign off on letting me back on modified duty and I need to get a lot of things done now in that time, but I'll see if I can stop over later in the week so that Grandpa can meet Kaylin if he wants."

"If he _wants,_ " Frank chided as he looked back down at the now sleeping toddler. "Wild horses won't keep him away, Jamie," he said softly with a smile as the reality of the situation was starting to sink in. It bothered him to no end that his son didn't think he could rely on his own family to have his back right now and felt the need to pull way as a result of that, but he understood to a degree given the circumstances. This whole mess was going to be fixed immediately once he got a hold of the other two, whether they liked it or not. He was not about to have his family pulled apart for any length of time, not now. "You can be expecting a visit from Pop before that I'm sure. He'll have us back here straight away once I tell him about what's happened, and of course he'll want to say hello to you too, Eddie, when you have the chance."

"I'd like that, sir… Frank," she corrected with a shy smile. "I'm sorry but that's going to take a little getting used to. It was so nice to meet... well to see you again… you know what I mean..." she trailed off. It may have been a shock in the beginning, but she had found him to be so genuine with his affection for Kaylin that he had succeeded in putting much of her anxiety at ease already. Jamie had been right… he could be the commissioner and a father at the same time. At least it seemed she had one other Reagan in her corner, and a very important one at that. Maybe Henry would make two. "I apologize, sir... Jamie, but I need to run or I'll be late for roll call," she said as she quickly put her plate and cup in the sink and hurried off to get changed. It was only a few minutes later that she was waving goodbye on her way out the door, leaving the father and son to further their discussion in private.

"That'll be fine then about Grandpa," Jamie said as he sat back and put his arm around the back of Eddie's chair and nodded towards it. "She was nice enough to stay here last night and help me out, Dad, but she's got an early shift to get ready for… we've only just started to see each other... Erin really rattled her," he explained with a heavy sigh. "I need to take things slow, she's not ready to face that again although she did okay with you… not like she had a choice." He paused with a small smile and rubbed his face thoughtfully. They had covered a lot of ground in the last few minutes, but Jamie realized there had to be more or his dad wouldn't have come. "I know I pretty much threw you a couple of the biggest curve balls you could have possibly expected, but I'm guessing there was a reason for your visit here this time in the morning straight from the airport. You weren't supposed to be back until tomorrow at the earliest. What gives?"

"The press," Frank sighed as he rocked back a little. "They're demanding interviews and the more we put them off, the worse it's going to get. Garrett says we've got to get ahead of this, and as much as I hate to admit it, he's right this time. The mayor is posturing as well. He thinks I'll use it as some sort of publicity stunt against him for political leverage because of the budget cuts he was proposing. Can't cut a police force that saves babies live on the four o'clock news and all… and that's before anyone has gotten wind about this part of it," he said as he looked down at the little girl again.

"I figured it was something like that," Jamie said shaking his head and leaning forward to put both elbows on the table and look his father straight in the eye. "If you want, I'll give one interview... I'll sit down and lay it out straight for someone, but I'm not looking to do the rounds and fill my fifteen minutes of fame with this. I did what I had to do, and there's no way I'm gonna play PR ping pong with Kaylin, Dad. She stays out of it, and I'm not going to be a DCPI poster boy for anything else either. I just want to get on with things and back to my job."

"Understood… know that you're going to catch some flack over that kiss though," Frank sighed as his youngest son blushed once more and grinned back. It might have been technically against the rules, but it had been so worth it and his father could only shake his head again at this sometimes impetuous child of his that tended to follow his heart without regard to consequences.

"Yeah, sorry about that, Dad… it was kind of... spontaneous."

"Very well," Frank conceded. "It's certainly not the worst thing a Reagan has done that was ever caught on tape, but please do your best to explain that departmental rules against fraternization were not being broken or we'll be accused of running some kind of dating service. I'll have Garrett pull something together for tomorrow… one of his trusted contacts, and we'll need to get you a new phone immediately so we can stay in touch. I'll have Baker take care of that." Frank frowned as he pursed his lips to take a hard look at Jamie, noting the obvious recent change in his demeanor, and then gave his youngest a small smirk. "And just when did you get so grown up, anyway?" he sighed, and then paused when he didn't receive an answer as Jamie just sat there and stared thoughtfully at Kaylin. "What do you need from me, son? You can't do all this on your own, especially with one arm literally tied behind your back at the moment. What are you planning to do when you go back to work? It's hard enough to be a single parent, but to get thrown directly into the deep end with no time to prepare or build a safety network is going to be next to impossible. You're going to need your family… _all_ of us."

"I've got people," Jamie mused before getting up and limping over to the counter. "You want some more coffee?"

"Jamie, or should I say Jammie…"

"I'll handle it, Dad. I know you hate the fact that I'm not speaking to Danny and Erin at the moment, but that will pass. They need to start treating me as an adult and respecting my decisions and Erin is going to have to find a way to make peace with Eddie first. Until then Mrs. Renzulli has volunteered to help and Sarge says she has her whole quilting bee social group on standby, plus I can hire Mrs. Henderson down the hall to sit with Kaylin when I have to work nights. She's a retired nursery school teacher, and she keeps a few kids for other single parents in the building who work swing shifts to make ends meet. They all love her… she's the ultimate grandma type. I know this is a huge step but I'm gonna make it work, Dad. I promise. I need this."

"Okay, Jamie," Frank sighed as he conceded, "but we are going to iron out this thing between you, Danny and Erin before the end of this coming week. I'm not having this drag on for any length of time, not now. Trust _me._ "

* * *

 _Thanks for the reviews! I'm glad you guys are enjoying this... we've still got a very long way to go! Next, a rather uncomfortable Sunday dinner at the Reagan home, especially for a couple of unsuspecting older siblings who have no idea what's coming!_


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

"Where's Uncle Jamie?" Jack asked as he ran into his grandfather's house to find Frank and Henry sitting in the living room watching television. "He wasn't at church today."

"Look," Henry said as he pointed to the screen. His great-grandson spun around and was surprised to see his favorite uncle being interviewed by a news anchor on New York One.

"DAD!" Jack yelled, running into the kitchen. "Come in here! Uncle Jamie's on TV again!"

Danny, Linda, Nicki and Erin all hurried into the room. Jamie had agreed to an exclusive interview with Garrett's first choice anchor, Faith Johnson, in an effort to quell the incessant demands for media appearances for the romantic hero cop that had scaled down the bridge to save the baby from the river. Judging from the ease in the way he was handling the attention, he certainly didn't need any pointers from the DCPI who was standing off camera, nervously hanging on every word. Garrett had vetted every single question, and he was just hoping the anchor wouldn't go rogue on him so that they could finally start to put a lid on this political can of worms. If someone started in on Jamie's recent sergeant's exam results or the fact that the child in question was now in his care, this particular media storm would have an extended shelf life, and with the mayor howling in an election year, it was best for everyone if it died down as soon as possible.

Linda stood with her arms crossed, "Wow, the camera loves him. He sure cuts a handsome figure in that uniform, doesn't he? And in an injured, superhero kind of way at that… he's going to have to carry a nightstick with him to beat the girls off."

"Yeah well, judging from his recent record in that department, he'll handle that just fine." Danny snarked. He was still incensed by the way Jamie had dismissed him at the hospital the other day, and a bit miffed that his own wife would point something like that out in the first place given her recent tirades about the job. "Wait! Turn that up. What's she saying?" Henry grabbed the remote and increased the volume.

"I understand that you've only agreed to this one interview?" the reporter asked. "Why is that?"

"That's correct, Faith," Jamie replied. "I know that there's been a lot of focus on this incident since Thursday, but it shouldn't be on me. I just happened to be in the right place, at the right time with the right tools by the grace of God. If this had occurred even a few hours earlier, I couldn't have helped anyone. I just want to answer some questions, then put it behind me and get back to my job."

"But you can understand why there's so much interest in this, right? It's not every day that an NYPD officer risks their life like that to save a child on live television, not to mention the son of the current Police Commissioner. Would you do it again?"

"Of course he would," Erin sniped at the screen, "because he's immature and has no regard for himself or any of us." Caught up in watching the interview and making their own comments, Danny and his sister had not noticed how progressively quiet and stone-faced Frank and Henry had become. Indeed, neither one had uttered much more than two words at a time since anyone had arrived.

"The vast majority of the 35,000 cops on the street every day put themselves in position do the same sort of thing all the time to keep the people of this city safe without any fanfare except if something goes wrong," Jamie replied to the question. "Besides, I've been told it was probably not the smartest thing I've ever done in my life," he laughed, "and I'm actually scared of heights so no, I don't plan to repeat anything like that unless it's absolutely necessary. The FDNY search and rescue teams are trained to handle situations like this. This event was somewhat of a perfect storm given the circumstances, but if one of their units had been available on scene they would have been a much better choice obviously."

"Amen to that, Harvard," Danny spat. "Jesus, it looks like he's campaigning to be the next commissioner already, doesn't it?"

"And what about the little girl?" Faith asked. "I understand she was orphaned as a result of this accident. Do you have any information on her?"

"She's been placed in a foster home by CPS," Jamie stated. "I'm afraid she's a minor so the rest of the record is sealed and confidential." Henry guffawed while Frank shot him a look of warning. He had a lesson planned for his oldest children and didn't want to see it spoiled by a slip of the tongue from his father now.

"And finally, what can you reveal about the identity of the female officer you were seen kissing before climbing over the edge? Is it true it was a former partner?"

"That's also classified," Jamie laughed. "But no seriously, yes it was in fact someone I used to ride with. I'd like to respect her privacy and not mention a name but I'm certainly not going to try to hide that since it would serve no purpose and only fuel speculation. We've recently become involved now that we've been stationed at different precincts for several months, and while PDA is frowned on by NYPD policy, you could say we had an imprudent but long-overdue moment when she was trying to talk me out of doing something stupid… not that I listened too well, obviously, and I've been told I need to work on that too by several people now."

No one said a word as the interview wrapped up and the show moved on to the next segment. Danny finally broke the silence as he turned off the TV. "So when does he get here, then?" he asked as he fully expected his little brother to be on his way to dinner; it was Sunday after all. Time to lean into him about his behavior at the hospital and surely their father would give him a good public dressing down for the stunt he pulled. Danny had been looking forward to this all weekend. The eldest Reagan sibling scowled as he looked towards his father though, finally noting the chill descending from his patriarchs.

Frank's face remained set in stone. "That remains to be seen," he admitted with a frown as his heart sank a little. He hated the thought of his youngest child keeping himself away from the family, but that's exactly what was about to happen. "I'm going in the kitchen to check on dinner," he finished brusquely as he stood and left the room.

"Boy, Dad's really pissed," Danny commented with a look at Erin. "I hate it when he gets all scary quiet like that. Jamie has no idea what he's in for," he added smugly with a little laugh as they both eyed each other with great self-satisfaction. Suddenly though there was a nervous energy that vibrated between the two as they noticed that their grandfather was offering his own icy cold glare directed squarely at them from across the room before he stood to leave as well. Henry Reagan could still knock two perps to their knees with that look and Danny swallowed hard, suddenly sensing that perhaps it wasn't his little brother currently in the family crosshairs now after at all.

###

"Bless us, O Lord, and these Thy gifts, which we are about to receive from Thy bounty, through Christ our Lord. Amen."

There were no further sounds except for the scraping of silverware against plates and an occasional mumbled "Pass the potatoes," as the Reagan family Sunday dinner commenced. By this point it was completely evident from the utter silence that radiated from both Frank and Henry that they were incensed at the current situation. Danny and Erin barely lifted their eyes at one another and no one, not even the kids, dared ask out loud why there were three empty settings at the table. _Three_. By now it was obvious that Jamie would not be coming, but why the other two? Danny and Erin both sensed that there was a huge elephant sitting in the room at the moment, but neither one wanted to be the first to poke it. Eventually as the strained dinner was winding down, and it was nearing time for dessert, Sean could no longer contain himself and he asked the question that had been burning on everyone's lips.

"Grandpa, why did you set three empty places if you knew Uncle Jamie wasn't coming?"

Linda sat straight up and closed her eyes, preparing herself… of course it had to be her youngest to strike the match.

"Well, Sean, that's an excellent question," Frank replied evenly as he vigorously trimmed the fat off a second piece of roast. "I just thought it would be nice to have a reminder of who was not here today."

"But three?" Sean puzzled, feeling more comfortable now judging by the direction of Frank's inflection that he wasn't in the hot seat for once and he was determined to press, even though he could see his own father sink down in his seat a little further at each word.

"Yes, well, you never know what you're missing sometimes," his grandfather said as he paused to purse his lips while he glanced between his two oldest children. They felt, rather than saw the stare as they both continued to look down at their plates while the implied guilt sank into their hearts. Jamie had decided to stay away because of them, by this point that much was obvious. "Sometimes our actions can have far greater consequences than we can even imagine," he added.

"Why three?" Danny asked quietly. He and Erin were already screwed… things had turned on them... that was already apparent, so he figured he might as well bite the bullet to get to the truth of the situation. He knew his father didn't do anything like this without a reason.

"Your brother… my grandson," Henry seethed from the other end of the table, it was time to break the bank and lay it out now that the shock value had caught their attention, "was so self-centered and immature that he was the only one willing to step up to the plate for that little girl. He could have killed himself saving her life, and then he spent the whole night caring for her at the hospital and all day in court on Friday with Renzulli and Eddie fighting to get custody appointed so she wouldn't be thrown alone into the system... and the two of you want to sit back and _judge_ him! Now he's taking care of her by himself _because he doesn't feel like his own family has his back!"_ That last point was said with particular venom as it was a cardinal sin in the blue-blooded Reagan household and everyone knew it. As promised, Frank and Henry had returned to Jamie's apartment forthwith on Saturday once the revelation about the little girl had been made, and Henry had also fallen instantly in love with her. But the time they left late in the evening she was calling him Pop Pop and had fallen asleep on his lap. By God, if he had anything to say about it she was not going to miss another family dinner ever again.

"He… did what?" Erin looked up in shock. "He's…"

"...fostering her," Frank finished. "She's two-years-old and her name is Kaylin Jeffers… he's also started seeing Eddie. She's by his side now and those two are the reason there are three empty chairs here today. I think that we all need to come to terms with this. Your brother is his own man, and if we can't begin to respect his decisions as such he's made it clear that he's not going to be coming back anytime soon." He paused for a few moments to let that sink in before delivering the final blow. "I'm disappointed that he feels like he has to do this on his own because he thinks the two of you won't support him and that Eddie is not welcome here. Take a good look at those chairs," he added as he stood up to take his plate out to the kitchen, "and see what you're missing."

" _Now fix it,_ " Henry ordered as he looked at the stunned faces of the rest of the family before he followed suit and made his way out of the room.

###

Jamie offered Eddie a kiss goodbye as she quickly made her way out of the apartment when he returned from the interview. She had stayed over once again and sat with Kaylin while he was away, but her schedule was switching to swing for a couple of days and she had a Sunday tour so had to hurry off to her apartment to get ready. Working opposite hours meant they wouldn't be able to see much of each other, and Jamie smirked as he looked down at Kaylin who was seated on the floor with a big pile of building blocks. "Guess it's just you and me today then, little girl," he added sadly as it felt completely wrong to say that on a Sunday when he should be at his dad's house having dinner and watching football games with the rest of the family for the afternoon, especially now, he thought with regret. Here he had finally put some of the pieces in place for the family life he had so desired, and on the other end he felt like had lost the rest of it... at least for the time being. If he knew his father though things were being straightened out at that very minute, at least he hoped so. He wondered what the reaction had been to his absence and the inevitable news of what he had been up to for the past several days.

Shrugging those thoughts aside, and assuring himself that Kaylin was content for the moment, he reached over to the counter and pulled down the folder of paperwork he had received from the court. There was still the matter of the coursework that needed to be completed in the next thirty days and a series of regular follow up visits with Ms. Adams, who had seen to it that she was personally appointed as his caseworker for the home study evaluations. It would be months before all the red tape was cleared and Jamie could petition the courts for adoption although even in this short time he couldn't imagine himself to doing anything but that. Kaylin was his and at some point in the future would be calling him daddy, of that he was certain.

Something though had been bugging him in the back of his mind for the last couple of days but he couldn't quite put his finger on it with everything else that had gone on. Now that he had a quiet moment to think… what had Jayne said in those last minutes before she and Carl had taken off in that car and sealed their fates? Indeed, the Renzullis had been preoccupied this weekend planning for a way to do right by her on such short notice. A collection taken up at both the 12th and 3-5 precincts had yielded enough money for a small service and a funeral home nearby had agreed to provide everything at cost, but that wasn't what was bothering Jamie at the moment… now what was it that Jayne had said? She had tried to explain why she had missed her parole meeting, something about an excuse of dropping her phone and that they were in the city because of Brian starting the academy and because it was…

Kaylin's birthday.

Jamie stopped everything and looked down at the little girl. Her birthday. He quickly scanned through the court documents until he found the information he was looking for. Kaylin Jeffers, female Caucasian, no father listed, no middle name, birthdate September 14th, 2013. He sighed and shook his head in disbelief. That was today. On a day she should have been surrounded by family and celebrating her second full year of life, it had been completely upended and she was now sitting here alone in an apartment with a virtual stranger, forgotten by everyone else while her mother lay on a slab somewhere waiting to be put into the ground. And he didn't even have a cake for her... how completely unfair was that?

"Oh, damn," he muttered softly as he watched Kaylin giggle as she knocked her pile of blocks down, perfectly unaware of all the issues swirling around her. What a time to have alienated his own family. He was still contemplating his options when he heard a soft knock on his front door. He smiled as he looked through the peephole and saw Mrs. Henderson from down the hall and quickly opened the door to greet her.

"Jamie Reagan!" She exclaimed loudly as she stood in front of him with a plate full of oversized homemade iced cupcakes. "I just saw you on the news, dear! I had no idea that you were the young man that saved that baby by the river the other day! What a brave and wonderful thing to do! I made some of your favorite treats to thank you." Her eyes lit on the little girl behind him that had quickly skittered away at the sound of her voice and hidden behind the sofa. "Is that her?"

"Ah, yes, ma'am, thank you," Jamie acknowledged as he gratefully accepted the food. "I was actually going to speak to you. I'm fostering her now and I'll be needing someone to look after her on nights when I'm on second and third shift. She needs time to warm up to people yet though," he added as he glanced back and watched her crouch down further. "The whole experience has been kind of traumatic for her."

"Well how wonderful, you saved her twice, the poor dear," Mrs. Henderson tutted as she smiled at them both. "You're a good man, Jamie. Don't you worry one bit, just bring her over in the next few days and we'll start work on getting to know each other." She stayed and chatted happily for the next few minutes before taking her leave and assuring him that sitting Kaylin would be no problem whenever it was needed.

Amazed once again that in a city with a reputation for being cold-hearted, so many people had been eager to step forward and help him, Jamie put the plate down on the counter and called the little girl over once he had rummaged around in a drawer and found some birthday candles. He placed two in a scrumptious-looking cupcake and smiled as he lit them and watched her eyes sparkle in wonder. "I know this isn't much, sweetness, but it's a start and I promise I'll do things right for you from now on."

* * *

 _Aw, the big softie! Next, one of the older Reagan siblings tries to make peace... probably not too hard to guess which one, but it's going to take a little work to make things right._


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Erin Reagan nervously pulled her car into a spot near the front of Jamie's apartment building and paused for a few seconds before getting out. It was mid-morning on Tuesday and she had resolved to take her father's advice and come see her little brother in person so that they could begin to put things right. She had been so shocked and hurt by the news of Kaylin's arrival and the fact that Jamie had been willing to keep it from her and Danny that it had taken nearly a full two days for her to find the courage to confront him about it. She knew that he would be returning to work the next day, so had set out this morning to visit his home unannounced and hopefully convince him to talk to her and let her see the little girl for herself. Thus far all of her calls and texts had been ignored. Erin deeply regretted the way they had left things at the hospital and her father's little demonstration during dinner on Sunday had driven home his point in his usual undeniable fashion. She didn't want to see those chairs remain empty ever again.

Biting her lip, she made her way into the building and stepped into the elevator for the short ride up to his floor. She was still rehearsing all the things that she wanted to say in her head when it dinged and the doors opened to reveal Jamie standing unexpectedly on the other side, dressed fashionably in a dark suit and precariously balancing a tiny blond-haired little girl and a car seat with one arm. Erin's breath caught as she was entranced by the toddler's striking blue eyes when she blinked back at her. Her hair was up in pigtails with clips and ribbons, and she was dressed in a pretty smocked ivory linen dress with eyelet accents and a kitten print motif around the bottom, topped off with soft pink stockings and creamy-white shoes. Adele Renzulli had a perfect fashion sense for her now self-appointed godchild and she looked simply stunning.

"Erin, what are you doing here?" Jamie sighed as he stepped into the elevator and turned around. "Downstairs, please," he asked his sister as there was no way for him to hit the button. They were running late and he didn't intend to be behind schedule, but figuring out how to dress the squirmy little girl virtually one-handed had proven to be a new and interesting challenge to him… just one of the many single dad hurdles he was determined to learn how to face.

"Where are you going?" she asked, trying to break the ice and hoping she could convince him to stay and go back to the apartment to talk. "You both look so nice…" she trailed off, wondering what their plans were and where they might be off to dressed like this so early in the day.

"A funeral," Jamie stated rather flatly. "For her mother."

"Oh," Erin said as her heart skidded to a stop. Of course, she had forgotten that there had been a greater tragedy in all of this and kicked herself for being so insensitive and focused on her own situation. The doors to the elevator opened once more, and they were in the foyer with Jamie still struggling a little in his current state to tote everything needed.

"Please let me help you… can I hold her?" she asked tearfully, but Kaylin shyly turned and buried her face in Jamie's shoulder when she saw the strange hands reaching for her.

"Not right now, Erin," he said softly, shaking his head as he continued awkwardly to carry the little girl, a backpack with her things and the seat out through the front doors and over to the waiting town car that had just pulled up in front of the building. Renzulli quickly jumped out and grabbed it to belt it into the back. "I don't want to upset her. She's been through a lot the past few days and sometimes it still takes her a while to warm up to new people. Maybe when she gets a chance to know you later. Listen, we've gotta run. Make it right with Eddie and then we'll talk," he added as he handed Kaylin to Mrs. Renzulli and then climbed in beside her when the little girl was buckled in and closed the door before Erin could say anything else as she watched the car pulled away from the curb.

###

"REMEMBER not the sins and offences of my youth, but according to thy mercy think thou upon me, O Lord, for thy goodness. Rest eternal grant unto them, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon them."

Frank and Henry Reagan stood next to the Commissioner's black SUV as it sat back on the road on a grassy knoll above the small gathering below and observed from a respectful distance as Jamie held Kaylin through the ritual while a priest committed Jayne Marie Jeffers' remains to the ground next to her parents' graves in a small cemetery on the outside of Flushing Meadows. They both choked back tears and uncomfortably cleared their throats as they watched him help the little one throw some flowers and a small handful of dirt down on the casket that housed what was once her mother before standing back and moving off with a few of the other mourners.

"It was nice of everyone at the 12th and 3-5 to chip in and help Renzulli give that poor girl a decent funeral," Henry commented. "Bill would have appreciated that."

"We take care of our own," Frank agreed softly as he watched Jamie put his arm around his old TO's shoulder as his wife took Kaylin while they made their way back to the waiting car. "Tony and Adele… they did their best to help her and the brother after their father passed but Jayne... she was always a wild one. Just caught up with her this time. If it hadn't been last week it would have been another day I'm sure. Maybe her brother will turn good after all this. He's had a rough first week to start the academy," Frank added as he watched the young man linger at the fresh grave for a while before turning to to join the others.

"Well thank God that Jamie was there at that time for Kaylin," Henry sighed. "Such a sweet little baby girl. As much as I want to crack him over the head for doing what he did I understand it, not that I would have ever had the cahones to pull something like that off myself. I don't know where he gets it from. I mean Danny will go into things guns blazing, but Jamie… sometimes I don't think he really expects to get himself back out, and he does it anyway."

"Jamie doesn't have fear because he doesn't think about himself at those times. I worry for him, Pop," Frank frowned as he looked down to the ground and moved a few pebbles around with his shoe before leaning back on the car. It was a beautiful warm fall day, and he was in no hurry to return to his stuffy office in the city. "One of these days he's not going to be so lucky. Maybe having that little girl will ground him a little… knowing that she's counting on him to come home every night might just be what he needs to force him to watch his step more often. I can't lose another son, not like that."

"Let's hope so," Henry agreed. "He's already grown up a lot over the last few months. I never expected him to stand up to Danny and Erin like this and mean it without letting off... but he's held his own with them so far. Got a little backbone along with those stripes on his arm. I hope they work it out soon though. I just want everyone back together so we can all get to know my new great-granddaughter and Eddie too. It's about time Jamie had a good woman in his life."

"Pop, Kaylin's only a foster child right now and Eddie and Jamie have just started dating. Don't get ahead of yourself."

"Nonsense!" Henry muttered, thinking back to the other night when he and Frank had returned as promised to Jamie's apartment to meet Kaylin and Eddie when she stopped by after work. "Do you see him with her, Francis?… that little girl is a Reagan already and I've noticed the way he looks at Eddie… I'll eat my badge if she isn't soon one too."

"First things first, Pop. Let's worry about fixing what's come between the ones that already have the last name and go from there."

###

Eddie had just changed after coming off a hectic shift at her precinct and was looking forward to a quiet evening at Jamie's apartment... just the three of them again she chuckled. She knew he would be tired and probably a little sore after being on his feet all day with the funeral and a memorial lunch at a nearby restaurant, so she offered to come over in the evening and bring some kind of light takeout fare. Whereas a trip to the pub or bar had once been a staple of her evenings, she was finding this more homey approach unexpectedly appealing and she had assured Jamie not to worry one bit about planning any elaborate date nights or anything else until Kaylin was more settled and his family issues had been worked out. Eddie herself was finding time with the toddler to be rather addicting and she was thrilled to see that she was becoming more trusting with her each day. The first time Kaylin had crawled up in her lap with a book and called her by name had caused big tears to well in her eyes as her maternal instincts were being awakened. Even in this short measure they were starting to feel like a little family… something that Eddie had not previously had such a happy experience with so she was soaking it in at every given chance.

With those thoughts in mind she was busily planning a stop a few blocks over at a restaurant that served Jamie's favorite decadent downfall… a rich baked macaroni and cheese dish along with a nice salad and something for dessert as she made her way through the front doors and down the steps towards her car. She didn't notice Erin Reagan standing up against the wall with her arms crossed until it was too late. Her heart instantly fell at the closed off body language as she imagined the upcoming confrontation, and she wished that she could just melt away and disappear. If Erin had been angry before, how was she going to feel now that she had found out about Kaylin and the fact that Jamie had deliberately avoided Sunday dinner earlier in the week? Even Eddie knew that was considered sacrilege in the Reagan family code of honor. She braced herself as she came to a halt.

"Eddie, please wait," Erin called out as she hurried over. "I was hoping to catch you here after work. I was wondering if you had a moment," she added. "I… I really need to apologize for my behavior last week. Please? Can we go get a cup of coffee or something and talk?"

Surprised by the conciliatory tone, Eddie found herself nodding and the two walked a short distance down the street to a small cafe and ordered. Erin waited until they were served before she continued. "I don't really know how to start this," she admitted softly. "I stopped by Jamie's apartment this morning to try speak to him, but he was on the way out to the funeral and I didn't really get a chance to meet Kaylin… she's so very beautiful," she sniffed and her eyes welled up. "I can't believe my baby brother… well that he did what he did... He's doing okay, though?"

"Yes," Eddie nodded. "He's determined to see things through himself and make it work."

"Well, I don't want him to do that," Erin said and then caught herself when Eddie gave her a puzzled look. "Wait, that didn't come out right. I mean he shouldn't have to do things by himself, especially now," she backtracked. "I'm sorry, I speak in front of people for a living... this shouldn't be so hard, but I haven't been able to put a word right the last few days. I've just been a wreck," she smiled nervously. "May I try to explain?"

Eddie nodded as she stirred her coffee, "Please, go on."

"Jamie's been the baby of the family forever," she started. "We've all been overprotective of him since before he was born… he was over six years behind Joe and my mom had a really hard time the whole pregnancy so when he actually came it was special to start. We all doted on him and he was so kind and easygoing in a family of really strong personalities... I feel like we've blinked and all of a sudden he's grown up and I don't know how that happened. When we lost Joe and Jamie became a cop it just put a terrible fear into all of us because they were so much alike, and then Sydney left him and we watched him go though all that pain, and everything since then… I got angry when he was sick and I saw him hurting again and then I was terrified after watching what he did at the bridge so I took it out on you, and that was wrong. I'm so very sorry, Eddie. Please forgive me."

"You weren't wrong in calling me out on the part about staying away when he was sick," Eddie said softly as she looked down. "If we're being honest then I know that I let my own insecurities get in the way and it nearly cost me everything." She glanced up and met Erin's eye. "I promise never to do that to him again."

"So can we maybe start over again?" Erin asked hopefully. "I'd like for us to be friends and I'm just going to burst if I don't get to go hug my brother and meet that little girl soon. I can't think of anything else."

"Why don't you come over tonight and join us for dinner?" Eddie asked, wanting to do everything she possibly could to put Jamie and his sister back at ease as soon as possible. "I'm just grabbing takeout and we were planning on staying in anyway."

"Do you think he would let me?"

"Maybe if I bring you in with his favorite food," Eddie said with a small grin. "He can't possibly say no then, right?"

"Altson's mac and cheese," Erin said, nodding with a big, relieved smile. "It'll be my treat. It's his biggest weakness and certainly worth a shot. Thank you so much, Eddie," she said as she reached across the table and squeezed her hand.

###

Jamie and Kaylin were curled up on the couch together, kicking back in comfy clothes after a long sad day with an episode of her favorite Bear show. _Thank goodness for Netflix,_ he thought, since the program was off air. Jayne must have had old DVDs of it before, but none of her or Kaylin's personal possessions had been located at Carl's filthy apartment. Jamie had shuddered when Renzulli showed him pictures of where the three might have been staying, empty beer bottles and trash littered the floor. For all he knew they had been living out of that car. Very little had been recovered with it besides their broken bodies… the river had taken everything else away. Maybe they had packed up and were going to run because of her parole violation, no one knew. When Bear and friends wrapped up with the goodbye song, he glanced at the clock and wondered where Eddie was when his phone buzzed with a text from her.

 _Sorry, running late. Mind if I bring a friend over to visit?_

Figuring Eddie was just out with Kara since she had mentioned coming over soon, Jamie didn't give it a second thought.

 _Sure, the more the merrier,_ he replied as he moved around the apartment and picked up a little out of habit. _Really gotta get a toy box,_ he thought as he piled some of Kaylin's stash in the corner. Between family and friends, the little girl was surely not going to want for much again. Jamie did still feel guilty about the whole birthday fiasco and was determined they would have a belated celebration for her at his dad's just as soon as everything was worked out between the siblings. No one should get cheated out of their second birthday party, no matter what the circumstances were.

"Jammie, I 'ungry," a little voice piped in behind him and he smiled. The new variation on his name made him chuckle each time he heard it and never in his lifetime did he intend to correct her.

"Well, sweetness that's good," he teased, "because guess who's coming over with something yummy to eat right now?"

"Jammie's lambchop!" she said with great excitement although he blushed and gave thanks that little pet name had come out in private and not in front of his family or he would have never lived it down. _Gotta remember to watch what I say in front of her,_ he reminded himself although it pleased Jamie to no end to see that the little girl was starting to trust and open up to others now. Adele Renzulli had offered to babysit for him while he started back to work this week, but he was going to have to come up with a more permanent solution soon and that meant Kaylin needed to come out of her shell a little more since there was no way he was just going to drop her off with a stranger and leave her crying to traumatize her again.

"Yup, it's _Eddie,_ teddy," he emphasized, "and she's bringing a friend of hers so we have to try to be extra special nice to them and not hide, okay? I promise, nobody will hurt or scare you."

"Eddie bear! 'Kay!" came the enthusiastic reply. Kaylin was also starting to relax and learn that in this house people who came to visit were friendly and she didn't get locked in a dark room alone with a DVD player to babysit her for hours while they had scary loud voices and did stuff elsewhere with her mommy who wasn't around anymore. Jayne Marie Jeffers had been living on borrowed time for a while now.

Jamie soon heard a knock at the door and looked out through the peephole to see Eddie waving. _She needs to start using her key,_ he thought as he undid the locks and opened the door. He was shocked to see Erin walk in first looking sheepish and carrying takeout from one of his favorite restaurants.

"Truce?" she offered hopefully as she held the bag up. "I come bearing the holy grail of mac and cheese."

He couldn't contain the small sideways grin when he looked over and saw Eddie laughing. "So this is your friend, huh?" he asked as relief washed over him knowing that his sister had managed to put things right and he quickly reached over to hug her. "Missed you," he mumbled into Erin's ear.

"Oh, Jamie," she sighed. "Me too. I'm so sorry for what I said. Let's not do that to each other again, okay?"

"Promise," he whispered as he pulled back. "I think there's somebody else you probably want to meet then, right?"

"Yes, of course," Erin breathed in anticipation as she looked over to the little face peeking up shyly over the couch cushions.

"Kaylin, sweetie, come meet your Aunt Erin," Jamie called to the little girl with a smile as Eddie grabbed him from behind and gave him a hug and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

One down. One tough nut to go.

* * *

 _A very tough nut at that, and this one probably won't end as well. Will there be empty spots at the table this Sunday again? I'm not even sure yet! lol._


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Unlike his sister, whose Irish temper tended to flash over and then recede, Daniel Reagan was more prone to simmer to a boil if the spark was just right, and he was not as easily swayed by his father's demonstrations or the cute blue eyes of a little girl he had not met yet. If there was one thing he absolutely despised it was to be ignored and to this point his brother had wholly refused to take any of his calls or answer a text for nearly a week now. Danny's blood was bubbling by the time he arrived at work on Thursday morning and found himself being called into Lieutenant Carver's office with his partner Maria Baez.

"Orders came down from 1PP this morning," his superior informed them. "You two are taking over that armed robbery case out of the 3-5; there were two more incidents this week and they're getting increasingly violent… one of the perps pistol whipped a salesman at a jewelry store on 9th last night and sent him to the hospital with a fractured skull. He may not pull through. Detective Anderson and his partner have been yanked. Get over there and grab the files from them and get started before I start hearing from the Commissioner's office myself," she added as she dismissed the pair.

"So we're headed over to the 3-5," Maria observed as she watched the wheels turn in her partner's brain, fully aware of the trending strife between the two Reagan brothers and knowing that Jamie was currently on modified duty so would be in the precinct when they got there. "This could be interesting," she muttered as she grabbed her coat and followed Danny's quick exit out of the squad. His little brother wasn't going to be able to hide from him much longer.

###

"How are things going with those summons, Mahoy?" Jamie frowned as he looked across his desk at the stack of paperwork piled up next to his rookie who had not yet managed to put an appreciable dent in it. After a series of blundering mistakes were reported earlier in the week while he was out on leave, Jamie did not trust sending his trainee back out on patrol with a different TO while he was still stuck behind a desk on modified duty, so he had set George up with a laptop on a small table in the corner of his office and was determined to work out some of the new officer's wrinkles himself. So far all he had discovered was that the young man typed at an unusually fast pace and was a virtual savant with statistical numbers, but constantly went back to double check himself even though the work was essentially correct each time. Jamie knew he was going to have to find a way to boost the kid's self confidence before he crashed and burned out of the force. Second guessing oneself on paperwork made for a long office session, but doing that out on the street was going to wind up getting someone killed and as his father had hoped, Jamie had a new focus now and no intentions of leaving Kaylin an orphan again.

He turned back to his own computer with a sigh. Being cooped up in an office for a few weeks wasn't his idea of fun either, but the situation was affording the opportunity, on his Lieutenant's orders, to straighten out the vast rat's nest of paperwork for this platoon that had been left behind by his predecessor. Sergeant James Michael had long been a fixture at the 3-5 but had seen recent troubles in the precinct. On the short stick for retirement, he'd also found himself swept up in controversy when his nephew Philip had been placed on extended modified assignment after being accused of a serious hit and run while on patrol. The incident was now the subject of a large wrongful injury lawsuit being brought against the department and run through the legal department at 1PP. Jamie was now charged as Philip's commanding officer and the older sergeant had been banished to another shift. There had been some misgivings against a brand new untested duty officer taking charge after the upheaval, especially one with the same last name as the commissioner, but all in all things had gone well on that front for Jamie, although he was always looking for ways to create more harmony and a team spirit within the group.

As such, a particular memo in his inbox had just caught his attention... it was a call for sign ups for the annual fall NYPD softball tournament. Jamie smirked a little as he considered it and tagged the email for further review. Sergeant Renzulli's team out of the 12th had been the long-reigning division champions and he didn't imagine that his old TO would appreciate a new challenge to his perennial crown, especially one led by his former star shortstop, but it might just be what he needed to start a healthy rivalry with their sister precinct to the west.

George was still plugging away on his pile when Jamie flinched as he heard a distinct voice in the distance down the hall.

Danny was coming.

He could pick out his older brother's baritone from a mile away. Jamie had known he was playing with fire by first throwing him out of the hospital and then ignoring all forms of contact including Sunday dinner, but now it seemed the time had come to pay the piper, and it would no doubt be an angry one at that. Jamie considered taking George and making a break for the back door but it was already too late as a scruffy-faced presence filled the doorway.

"Harvard!" his older brother challenged in a tone that seemed friendly to outsiders, but made Jamie squirm a little on the inside. This was a hot situation that needed to be handled with kid gloves to avoid a potential blow up, and that was not going to happen in front of his new squad and rookie partner. "Funny running into you here!"

"Detective Reagan," Jamie replied coldly, using the title as both a not-so-subtle reminder to his older brother that he was now on a more equal footing and a warning to keep things civil and on point at work. Danny chose to ignore that and started straight in anyway.

"Wow, so you go all superhero on everyone's ass and they reward you by giving you your own secretary, huh?" he said as he eyed George seated at the table in the corner. He had heard the chatter about the new recruit and knew exactly why Jamie had chosen to keep his trainee at the precinct while he was stuck inside as a house mouse. The youngest Reagan was not about to fall for the bait though as they sparred in their normal fashion. "Must be nice. I'd get at least a three-day rip for that."

"Officer Mahoy, please inform Detective Reagan when a new rookie will rotate into the office with me and you will go back out on patrol?" Jamie asked.

"When a one-handed Sergeant Reagan cannot complete his paperwork faster and more accurately than me, sir!" the young officer replied smartly.

"Excellent answer, George! And why is that important?"

"Less time and mistakes in the office makes for better outcomes on criminal cases filed and more cops on the street instead of behind a desk, sir."

"Bingo! Thank you, George. You're gonna be officer of the month material soon," Jamie smiled as he deliberately threw another folder in the completed bin.

"C'mon, can we talk, kid?" Danny replied in exasperation. Jamie had managed successfully to thwart him and it was annoying the older man. "This is really stupid."

"I always have time for you, Detective Reagan, if this is regarding an official matter. If it's personal, leave a message and I'll get back to you when you concur with everyone else that I'm able to make my own decisions. Until then I have nothing further to discuss."

"Okay, it's official then," Danny snarked back. "Baez and I caught that armed robbery case now… what can you tell me about it that's not in the damn report?" George had straightened up in his chair at the change in tone in the detective's voice; even he could read the situation now and no one on the job wanted to be in the middle of a Reagan family personal fray if they could avoid it.

Sensing his rookie's discomfort, Jamie decided to let him off the hook instead of continuing to use him as a sort of human shield. "George, why don't you take a break and go grab some coffee, and then I want you to head down to records and filing and have them pull all those logs we talked about from the first of the year onwards. You're going to convert them to an online spreadsheet for me."

"Yes, sir!" George replied as he hurried out of the room. He didn't need to be asked twice.

"So that's your partner," Danny said smugly as he closed the office door behind him and took a seat in front of Jamie's desk. "He's a real winner from what I've heard. Should have been canned before he even got out of the academy… I mean you don't even trust sending him out with another TO while your wing is healing, and you're making up busy work to keep him off the street. How's anyone else out there gonna feel when he's supposed to have their back?"

"George has potential," Jamie replied, although he had to admit that his older brother was dead on as usual with his assessment. "And it's not busy work. Jimmy Michael left this place in such a mess I'd think he did it deliberately to hide something if I hadn't met the man. He's a real piece of work."

"Well, _Sergeant_ Reagan," Danny sniped, not to be distracted. "It doesn't look like you're much better. If that rookie's not cut out to be on the streets you need to do your own job and fire his ass. He's a probie and you don't need cause. Stop picking up strays."

Jamie's eyes shot up with that same cold look that he'd had in the hospital and Danny sensed that maybe he had pushed things too far with that last comment; so much for fixing things as his grandfather had ordered. That wasn't the way he had intended bringing up Jamie's new role as a foster dad. Perhaps he would be the one to be uninvited to Sunday dinner instead this week… it would be better than facing the further wrath of his father and Henry if things remained unresolved between the brothers. "The armed robbery case," Jamie redirected in an icy tone to match the glare, leaving no doubt that all personal conversation was off the table once more. _Damn, he inherited Grandpa's look… that's where it came from,_ Danny realized with an uneasy start. Where the hell had _that_ been all the kid's life?

"Yeah, so... Anderson and his partner are complete tools," he said as he tried, but ultimately failed, to break the stare before blinking himself. "There's no leads or anything useful in the file and Ghormley is going to be all over my Lieutenant if Baez and I don't come up with something quick."

"They're smash and grabs, which would indicate that the perps are disorganized, but they never fail to hit when the stores have their most expensive inventory in stock. My guess is it's someone connected to the shipping manifests or deliveries," Jamie revealed as he turned his attention back to the computer screen. He'd had his fill of his older brother for the day, and any hope for resolution between them did not look promising. _How dare he think of Kaylin as one of my poor strays!_ Jamie seethed. That comment had fired up a paternal anger within him and had been enough to make him see red again.

"Oh, so now you're a detective too?" Danny sniped after being dismissed once more as he failed to stop himself from digging an even bigger hole in their relationship.

"Whatever, Danny," Jamie responded without looking up. "You asked for my opinion. If you don't want to take it then you have no further business here. Get out. I have work to do."

Danny pursed his lips and bit back one last snide retort before turning to stalk out of the room. "We're not finished with this yet, kid," he muttered before leaving and slamming the door behind him.

Jamie looked up and watched through the window as his older brother disappeared down the hall. "You've got that right," he agreed with utter disappointment as he turned back to his work.

###

"You're really quiet tonight," Eddie observed as they cleaned up in Jamie's kitchen after the evening meal. "Everything okay?" she asked knowing that an unresolved rift was probably still at the heart of Jamie's angst. Sunday dinner was fast approaching, and it hadn't seemed like any progress had been made on smoothing things over with Danny. She was unaware of the events that had occurred at the 3-5 precinct today and the current vastness of that understatement.

"Oh, yeah. Sorry about that," he deflected, not really wanting to get into the continued strife with his brother again since he thought it still made her uncomfortable. At least the patch with Erin was holding strong. "Just got a lot of things on my mind from work today."

"You always hated being a house mouse," Eddie mused as she dried another dish. "It's good to see you're able to take that boot off every day for a while though. You'll be back to running the streets in no time."

"Can't wait… just not cut out for the desk I guess," he smiled as he packed up some leftovers. Meal planning had become quite the adventure lately as it became apparent that Kaylin had not been exposed to a lot of vegetables in her life and Jamie was a confirmed rabbit. Although she tried not to let on, it amused Eddie to no end when the little girl asked for a cheeseburger or a hot dog at every occasion. As tiny and thin as Kaylin was for her age, it really did no harm at this point except for the obvious malnutrition, but Jamie was determined to break that cycle and have the toddler eating healthier. It was the first line in the sand being drawn in their rather short father-daughter relationship and Eddie wasn't entirely sure at this moment who would eventually win out. He had caved with a grilled cheese sandwich tonight. Point one for Kaylin.

"So how are things working out at that daycare?" she asked. Adele Renzulli had been babysitting for the past two days while Jamie was at work, but she had a good friend with a conveniently located and well-respected child care facility located only a few blocks from the 3-5 and had been taking the little girl over there each day to acclimate her.

"So far, so good," he answered. "She's starting to play with the other kids and not hide in the corner or under the furniture so much. Mrs. Henderson's been working with her too. They all think she just needs a little time to come around. She hasn't really been socialized much at all."

"Well, Erin's been asking about this weekend," Eddie said, chewing her lip a little nervously. "She called and wanted to be sure that I knew I was welcome to come to dinner, but I told her that I didn't know what you had decided yet."

"Are you ready for that?" he turned around and asked a little bluntly. With the way things stood with Danny he hadn't really considered it a possibility. "My brother and I aren't exactly seeing eye to eye just yet. He came by the precinct today to pick up that armed robbery case… let's just say that it didn't improve anything."

So that was it, she thought, the reason behind his mood. "I guess… I mean I'm fine, I think. I've already met your Dad, Henry and Erin. I know you said you weren't going to go back until things were all settled, but I think it's important for Kaylin that you take her and let her start to get to know the family. I can hold off on coming until later if you think that's best. Your sister was wondering about having a cake for the birthday... you shouldn't wait too long to do that… she's already missed out on so much and she's just two."

"Well if you're game, then so am I," he sighed. "To hell with Danny, and you're not missing Kaylin's first cake with us either. Just remember what I told you about letting things slide and being ready to come out swinging."

* * *

 _Hmm, wonder how that will go? Next up, George finds an opportunity to shine and Jamie has his first run in with Paul Denison (remember him from Follow Your Heart?) in this version of the series as some pieces to the corruption scandal within the departments start clicking in place._


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

"George, how are those logs coming?" Jamie asked as he found himself seated once more behind the desk in his office at the 3-5. At least it was Friday, and he had the next two days off. Maybe by the beginning of next week he'd be able to ditch the boot permanently and walk around the halls without sounding like a peg-legged pirate. Now if he could only free up his arm, things could start getting back to normal… normal that is except he had taken nearly every opportunity lately to turn his own world upside down.

"Almost done, sir," the rookie affirmed proudly with a smile.

Jamie looked across his desk towards the four high piles of folders that represented all the handwritten internal duty and vehicle logs for his platoon for the whole of the current year. It entailed sorting through a tremendous amount of statistical information and had always constituted a nightmare to retrieve in paper form. With virtually everything else now tracked electronically, it was Jamie's intention to bring this last piece of the puzzle up to date, and it looked to him like he had picked the perfect person to attack the job. "You're almost done with all of that?" he questioned with his brow raised, "and yet it took you all day yesterday to handle the summons paperwork I gave you… explain?"

"I've always been good with straight numbers," George admitted. "They just get locked in my head. With the other stuff I need to think about the aspects of the law behind it and I'm always afraid I've forgotten something and need to go back and check… I guess it's a bit of a trigger for my OCD."

"So why dentistry then?" Jamie asked with a bit of amusement, knowing his trainee had bailed on that after going to college under that major. He was sure that the last thing anyone wanted was somebody that indecisive prodding around in their mouth for the better part of an hour.

"Family business," George admitted. "I come from a long line of dentists. I was just expected to do it... grandfather, dad, two brothers and a sister… all dentists or oral surgeons."

"That I understand something about," his sergeant laughed, wondering what family dinners must be like in that household and if it ever lead to arguments about procedures.

"So, I thought I had this spreadsheet working perfectly, but it's showing that we are lacking a great deal of data on one patrolman in particular, badge number 34607," George said as he looked back at his work. "I'm missing about ten pages that cover whoever that is."

"Hmm, well that's interesting," Jamie mused as he pulled up his directory and noted that the offending officer was none other than Philip Michael, his now permanently modified assignment charge who spent his days chained to the front desk answering calls, the one that was a subject of the current lawsuit and had his dear old uncle covering for him in this very seat not too long ago. "Do you have the record from July 10th?" he asked, knowing that was the date of the aforementioned hit and run.

"No, sir," George replied. "Nothing at all from June and July."

"Well, maybe the legal department at 1PP pulled them," Jamie reasoned, although they should have left copies and a notice in the file. He hated to admit it, but that offended his own bit of OCD when it came to having his paperwork in order. Something was beginning to smell bad in this precinct… he just hadn't been able to put his finger on it yet and he wondered how far off base he had been with his earlier comment about Sergeant Michael hiding something under the guise of sloppy record keeping. "Saddle up, George," he commanded. "We're heading uptown for a bit." _Danny would have a real laugh about that,_ he thought… built in chauffeur service as well as a secretary all rolled into a numerical whiz kid. George did have potential for something at least.

###

"Sergeant Reagan, may I respectfully request to take the stairs?" George asked as he nervously eyeballed the elevator at 1PP.

"The stairs?" Jamie asked. "To the fourteenth floor? Can I ask why?" He was headed up to the legal department to try to track down those missing log pages with a stop at his father's office afterwards to discuss this weekend if he found him available.

"It's a heart healthier option?" the younger man replied, hoping an attempt at humor would be taken well; instead it fell rather flat with his unamused and still banged up TO frowning back at him.

"You're claustrophobic," Jamie surmised with a sigh as he rubbed the back of his neck. Yet another strike against his trainee, and just when he thought they were getting somewhere. "You do realize that our precinct map includes any number of high-rise buildings, George. You won't always be able to use the stairs and your partner or other responding officers are counting on you to be where you're supposed to be no matter what during an emergency."

"I can control it if needed," George assured. "I just prefer to take the stairs if possible."

"Well today, it's necessary," Jamie asserted. "I have to know you can do what's needed before we end up in a situation where I'm counting on you and you're not there because you decided it was possible to run up thirty flights of steps first."

"Yes, sir," George complied with trepidation as the pair stepped into the rear of the elevator car along with another woman and a man dressed in a thousand dollar suit that screamed high-priced legal to Jamie. Everyone present was apparently headed to the fourteenth floor and the ride up commenced as George began to hold his breath.

"So I want a brief on my desk tomorrow with the findings of Wallis vs United States," the man dictated to his companion, who was obviously an aid or secretary. "We need an argument to defend the warrant issued by the Federal Magistrate Judge to search that duplex after the techs got a hit with the thermal imaging equipment. That's a six-figure grow house marijuana bust that's in jeopardy over this."

"Kyllo vs United States," Jamie corrected on autopilot from the back. "Ninth Circuit. And it was eventually reversed and remanded." He cleared his throat somewhat apologetically when the man turned around to glare at him. "Sorry, I did a dissertation on that case during my final year," he offered by way of explanation. "It was ruled such preemptive thermal imaging as in that instance constituted an unlawful search, violating a person's expectation of privacy, 190 F.3d 1041. It doesn't sound like it will help your case. You'll need to prove that there were other grounds for the warrant."

"Excuse me, _officer,_ " the man sniped with contempt. "I didn't realize they taught course law at Podunk City U."

"Harvard, actually," Jamie returned evenly while remaining ramrod straight and taking an instant dislike to the man. People like that were part and parcel of why he would have been miserable staying in law.

"Really?" the man snarked as he looked at Jamie's nameplate and rank. "And how did that work out for you?" he laughed as the doors opened and he strode down the hall towards the legal wing with his aid following close behind.

Jamie was so incensed by that point he paid no attention to the speed his partner had departed the elevator while offering a heavy deep breath of relief. Poor George had a thing about breathing in other people's germs while being stuck in enclosed places too. "So you really went to Harvard?" he asked as he tried to cover himself.

"Yeah, graduated top of my year too, and I'm smart enough to pick up on the fact that guy is a Class A poser," Jamie fumed. "C'mon, we've got some log files to track down."

###

Fifteen minutes later, the frustrated pair returned to the floor's lobby area empty-handed. Not one person in the legal department had been willing or able to look in the Michael case file for the missing logs. The only thing they had come away with was the identity of the not-so-friendly suit: Deputy Chief Paul Denison. Jamie recognized the name as one of Deputy Commissioner Charles "Chuck" Miller's right hand men. His father and grandfather were longtime friends with the DCLM and he had been over at the house often while Jamie had been growing up and going to school. George was preparing himself for another breathless trip down in the elevator's confines when Jamie instead strode purposefully right and directly towards the Commissioner's offices. "Have a seat," he ordered as he pointed the trainee towards a chair before he proceeded towards Detective Abigail Baker's desk as he flashed her a big warm smile.

"Jamie!" she exclaimed as she stood up and returned the gesture. "I hear congratulations are in order! You've certainly given your father something to talk about all week! Kaylin is beautiful... we've all seen the pictures," she laughed before holding her hand up and whispering. "Lots and lots of pictures. He's been in total grandpa mode," she confided.

"I bet," he laughed. "Sorry to drop in unannounced, I was here on other business. Does he have a free minute?"

"Of course, for you. Go right in. He's working on his speech to the latest awards recipients."

Jamie gave a soft knock at the door before entering. "Hey, Dad."

"Hey yourself," Frank exclaimed as he looked up with a smile and quickly stood to come around the desk and embrace his son. "This is unexpected. You're looking better."

"I'm fine now, Dad," his youngest assured. "I wanted to stop in and let you know that Eddie, Kaylin and I will be coming over this Sunday. I hope things weren't too weird for you last week."

"That's all in the past, Jamie... and I heard from your sister," Frank explained. "She told me that she and Eddie have put things to ease now. I take it you've made your peace with Danny as well?"

"No, that's not happened, yet," Jamie confided sadly. "But I'm kinda used to things being that way with him. He's not happy at all with my appointment over at the 3-5, Dad, so I don't see things smoothing out between us in the near future. If I wait for that to happen we'll have to stay away until he's ready for retirement. Eddie feels that it's important for Kaylin to get to know the family though since she's still so skittish around new people, so we're doing it for her. I promise I'll man up and keep things civil with Danny for everyone's sake."

"I wish it wasn't that way between the two of you." Frank admitted with a sigh. "But I'm happy to see that you're putting that little girl's needs first. You've really grown up into a fine man lately, son. I'm so proud of you." He paused before adding, "It's a good thing you've decided to come though. Once Pop heard about Kaylin's birthday being missed, he was ready to send a squad over to bring you home in cuffs if necessary. Do you know what kind of cake she likes? I'll order one and stop at Milo's Bakery after church to pick it up so it will be a surprise."

"Judging from the way she devoured Mrs. Henderson's cupcakes, I'm guessing chocolate is a safe choice," Jamie grinned. "And you'd better have an emergency grilled cheese sandwich on standby for dinner. Other than cake, she's a little stuck on white food right now."

"Well, good to know," Frank smiled, remembering the challenges a toddler could present with even the simplest things. No matter, it was going to be fun to have a little one that age in the house again. "Anything else I can do for you?"

"No, that's about all. I was down at legal looking for some missing logs from my precinct," Jamie admitted as he turned and prepared to leave. "Hey Dad, did anything ever come of that budget stuff we talked about earlier this summer? Those numbers from the legal and disability departments? You had mentioned having someone check into it."

"No, I've discussed it with DCLM Miller," Frank admitted. "He hasn't found any signs of wrongdoing or mismanagement. Just an anomaly that seems to be something cycling through. Chuck's a good man, I've got faith in him," he added. "Why? Is there something else on your mind, Jamie?"

"Something's up at the 3-5, Dad," he admitted. "I just don't know what it is yet, or even if they're related, and I don't have anything to go on except a hunch," he shrugged. "I'll keep my eyes open and in the meantime, I've gotta get back to my desk... duty calls," he added with a smile.

Frank watched his son leave with a gnawing feeling of worry niggling in the pit of his stomach. Jamie had always been an ultra perceptive child but often stayed rather elusive with his information. If his youngest was concerned enough to bring a point like this to his attention, odds were there was something to be concerned about. His father vowed to keep a careful eye on it from here on out. He was not about to have another child put in harm's way because of corruption within his own department.

* * *

 _Next up, the big day arrives! The whole Reagan family gathers for a special Sunday dinner and birthday party with a few new guests. Will things run smoothly? Do they ever?_


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

"I can't believe we all get to meet Kaylin today!" Nicki gushed from her perch standing on a chair as she twisted the end of a pink streamer and prepared to tape it up, "and on top of that... decorate for her birthday party, too!" The Reagan dining room had been completely decked out in crepe paper and balloons, complete with center pieces to mark the special occasion as Erin had over indulged herself in an effort to give the little girl a special day after still feeling a bit guilty about the fiasco of the week before.

"Don't forget there's another guest coming," Henry reminded. "Eddie will be here too, and it's just as important that we make her feel welcome."

"Aw, Poppy, we won't forget about her, but who can resist smooching with such a cutie pie for her birthday? Where is everyone? I thought Aunt Linda and Uncle Danny would be here by now at least."

"Danny's probably afraid that his grandfather will smite him down with that look again if he so much as blinks the wrong way," Frank commented as he walked around the corner.

"Hmm," his father grunted. "Damn straight, and you didn't do so bad yourself last week."

"Well, I'm pretty sure that particular trait skips a generation," Erin muttered as she remembered the glare she had received from her little brother at the hospital.

"There will be no one smited today," Frank admonished. "Or is that smitten? And everyone needs to remember that Kaylin can be very shy around new people, as can Eddie. Let's try not to overwhelm anyone, and Erin, honey? Balloons at the table?"

"Hello, hello!" Linda's voice came through the back door. "Sorry we're late! We stopped by the party store to pick up a few…"

"Balloons," Frank sighed as he watched his daughter-in-law walk in the room with another dozen in pink and yellow. "This is starting to look like the staging area for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade!" he griped.

"Now wait a minute, Francis," Henry offered as he turned the tables on his own son. "Exactly who was it that ordered a cake big enough to feed the Jets' entire defensive line? Just how much do you think that tiny little girl's gonna pack away?"

"I like cake," Frank muttered under his breath as he watched his oldest sheepishly come around the corner following Jack and Sean. "Boys, Danny," he greeted them.

"Dad," his son acknowledged in a bare bones manner. He had resolved to try to get through the afternoon by just staying under the radar which unfortunately was not a strategy he was particularly adept at.

"When are we eating, Grandpa?" Jack asked. "I'm starving!"

"There's a newsflash for a teenage boy," Erin joked. "You sound just like your father."

"They should be here any minute," Frank confirmed. "Now remember, give the little girl some space. Jamie and Eddie have worked hard all week to get her to be more comfortable around people so let her be until she moves to you. She's come a long way, but she was in a terrible car accident just over a week ago, and her life was literally turned upside down. We don't know much about the way she was treated before that."

"We know enough," Henry sighed. In his more than sixty years since first coming on the force, he had seen just about every level of child abuse there was. Jamie told them that CPS had reported finding no indications of physical, sexual or other such wrongs with Kaylin when she was examined at the hospital, but it didn't take a psychologist to see that the little girl had suffered through some inappropriate treatment in the past and that broke the eldest Reagan's heart. It was one thing when you could compartmentalize instances like that and put them away once your job was done, but it was another when you got to know the victim and realized the impact on such an innocent. It was the hardest part of police work in his opinion.

Indeed, the same thoughts were worrying Jamie as he pulled his car up on the street outside and parked before turning to give Eddie a small smile. The stresses of the week had begun to take their toll on Kaylin, and the little girl had woken up several times the night before crying with bad dreams. The shock had worn off and she was starting to deal with memories of the accident, becoming suddenly fearful of being strapped in the car seat once more. Jamie was able to talk her into it with a lot of tears, and the pair were both tired after a long, mostly sleepless night so she had quickly fallen off in a deep nap once the car started moving.

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea for today," he yawned and leaned his head back against the seat while Eddie looked over in concern. She had gone out with Kara after work the night before and stayed at her own apartment, so was surprised to see the state Jamie and Kaylin were in when he dropped by to pick her up on the way over. It was his first day totally out of the boot and he had been eager to get back to driving again, even though technically he was still restricted because of the shoulder.

"Do you really mean that?" she asked nervously, not divulging that the real reason she had met Walsh at the bar the night before was for some liquid courage before facing the infamous Sunday dinner crowd at the Reagan house.

"Of course not," he grinned without opening his eyes. "I just have a new appreciation for what my mom used to go through with me though. Nothing worse than waking up to hear a kid screaming like that because of a nightmare. I must have really rattled her all those years."

"You're doing a good job, Jamie," Eddie encouraged. "This is just gonna take some time for her to work through… I mean look at how far she's come in just a week. That all was probably just a little flashback to when she was first at the hospital. Remember how upset she was there?"

"I know," he added as he glanced in the rear view mirror to see Kaylin asleep with her head against the side of the chair, just as she had been when he had made the traffic stop that had changed everything. _Where would she be today?_ he wondered if that car had not blown through that light in front of him or Carl had not tried to run.

"Well, I guess there's no time like the present," he offered with a small laugh. "You ready, partner?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," Eddie smirked.

"I've got your back," Jamie joked. "Stay behind me and follow my lead… just like that first call we went on together that night… oh wait, I forgot. You totally jumped into that with both feet and without any regard for your training officer. You're on your own, Janko," he added with a smile as he got out of the car and prepared to peel Kaylin out of the backseat. She barely stirred and remained sleeping when he put her up to his shoulder. "Whatever you do, just don't bring up politics and stay away from football unless you're a Jets fan," he advised as they walked to the front door.

###

"So the AFC East has nothing on the Giants in their division," Eddie insisted while Jamie rolled his eyes and bit back a smile from his chair where he cradled a still sleeping Kaylin, wondering exactly what his girlfriend had been worried about as she was obviously holding her own in the tough Reagan crowd, and he recalled the opinion he had shared with Erin once upon a time. _She's a real pain,_ he'd said. _I mean, she's always trying to tell me what to do. She eats too much, she's opinionated, she never listens, and she's constantly making plans for me without consulting me._ Eddie had eagerly jumped right into the fray though it was amusing to watch this entire conversation play out in a whisper because no one wanted to wake the little girl after hearing about her sleepless night. "I mean you guys have the Bills and Miami… their logo is a smiling teal and orange fish for crying out loud! Seriously? Who's supposed to be afraid of that? While my boys have to face the Redskins, Eagles and Dallas for a playoff spot all the time."

"Um, you conveniently forgot to mention Tom Brady and the Patriots," Henry reminded gently in a low tone. "How many super bowl rings does he have? I think he's won four and been the MVP three times?"

"Aw, he's getting sacked like a baby this year," she retorted quietly. "Even Payton Manning can outrun him... his legs are gone. Plus he gets away with intentional grounding on like every other play. He's finished."

"Hmm," Henry grunted as the rest of the table snickered softly. "I like this one, Jamie. She's fearless."

"Well at least one of his partners is," Danny muttered under his breath, but not quietly enough as he soon drew stares. He knew from the reaction he got from Jamie at the precinct the other day that George's status was a sore spot and he couldn't help himself but poke at it a little. He wouldn't be Danny Reagan if he didn't do that after all.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Frank asked in puzzlement as he looked between his two boys, knowing that his oldest son couldn't be referring to either Renzulli or heaven forbid, Vinny, with such a statement.

"Leave it go," Jamie warned quietly as Kaylin finally started to stir and looked around sleepily. "Hey there, baby girl," he changed his tone, "look who's awake now!" Her frightened eyes took in the strange location with all the new faces and the overwhelming amount of decorations, which quite frankly Jamie himself had been unnerved by, and she did the only thing she knew how to and turned to buried her face back in his shoulder to hide while covering her eyes. Her coping mechanism had always been to cower somewhere in the dark or underneath something whenever the strangers came and the voices got loud as they often did around her mother. Despite Jamie's good intentions, there just hadn't been enough time to work through that yet. "It's okay," he offered to the table full of concerned faces. "She just needs a little space. Please, let's just get on with the meal."

Frank could sense that his son's approach was correct, although it tugged at his heart to see that Kaylin was so uncomfortable in their presence, so he decided to move on with the conversation as he reached for a second piece of ham. "Eddie, how are things at the 12th? Does Renzulli think he's got that softball tournament wrapped up again this year? He's won, what? Five in a row?"

"Six," Eddie answered proudly. "I'm the right fielder this year; batting seventh too!" she eagerly added.

"Well you might have a little competition this time," Jamie revealed. "The 3-5 is fielding a strong team too and your infield has a big hole in it now," he snickered. "Besides, I used to bat leadoff."

"Yeah, well you're sure not gonna be in any shape to play this year with your shoulder," she challenged. "Who'd you get to be on your team?" Kaylin was beginning to peek out and smile a little at Eddie sitting next to her. Her voice was familiar, and they had become good buddies this week.

"Patterson, Richards, Walters, Dixon, Reed, Shawcross, Andre, and Ericsson," he named. "And I might be ready to go by then. I just need to add a few subs and come up with a first baseman."

"Why not that Michael's kid," Danny jabbed subtly again. "I heard he's great at hitting and running. Then there's always Mahoy… he could really intimidate the other team." He owed his baby brother a healthy dose of payback and he knew how to keep the digs just far enough under his father's scope to really drive them home. It was almost an art form.

"Michael's is not exactly a team player, and George is my stat man," Jamie answered evenly as he finally managed to cajole Kaylin into relaxing enough to get back down and sit on his lap facing forward where a tempting grilled cheese sandwich was waiting for her on his plate. He'd lost count of how many of those she had eaten this week already, but there was only so much he could do.

"Figures," Danny snarked with a little too much vigor this time. "That guy's only good enough to sit on the bench anyway. Everyone knows that… he's dead weight that needs to be cut loose. The kid here just doesn't have it in him to do it." He was on a roll now and it was hard to stop himself.

"I think that's enough, Danny," Frank interrupted as he was starting to get a sense of what was going on.

"Honey, please," Linda pleaded as she could feel the tension ratchet up another notch. Jamie, for his part, had remained very controlled. He knew his brother's game plan as well as anyone else and had promised his father he would buck up and be civil, not to mention he had a skittish toddler on his lap and a girlfriend whose smile was beginning to slip as she realized that not everyone had intended on being welcoming today.

"I'm just sayin'," Danny continued as his voice raised another few levels and he failed to notice the tears appearing in a pair of blue eyes growing wider by the second as a little girl started to tremble. "That if golden boy here wants to wear the stripes he better be damn sure able to pull the plug on a rookie that's a liability before he winds up GETTING SOMEONE ELSE HURT!" Unfortunately, as he so often did, Danny emphasized his last statement with a poke of the fork he was waving around and there was a loud pop as it met with one of the mini balloons Erin had used for the centerpieces. Kaylin immediately bolted and went straight to the floor, banging her knees as she stiffened and fell out of Jamie's one-handed grasp. The next thing they knew she was out in the sunroom and had hidden herself behind the couch sobbing.

"NICE!" Jamie growled while instinctively maintaining a low voice so as to not frighten the little girl any further. That red light was on in his brain again as he stood up and threw his napkin down on his plate. Eddie's hand instinctively went to his arm as she held him back and Frank was quick to step in between his two sons.

"Take a minute and go outside, Jamie," he advised as he watched his youngest son's temper flare while his eyes darted between Danny and the sunroom. "I'll go to her. Remember I have a lot of experience talking crying children down… if I didn't we would have never gotten you out of that treehouse when you were three. Now go," he insisted, "and let me deal with this." Jamie just shook his head angrily at his brother before turning and leaving the room without another word. Everyone heard the back door slam though as he followed his father's advice. He needed space to go breathe. Eddie was in tears as she stood up quickly, unsure of what direction she should go.

"Wait, Eddie," Henry said to her gently, holding up his hand. "I know that you haven't been present for any heated Reagan family discussions before, but they do come as part of the territory. We're all Irish and stubborn after all. There's a protocol though, isn't there, Daniel?" he finished sternly, looking his oldest grandson's way. "But this time I think you need to give your brother a few moments to cool off first, for your own good."

"Oh, um right, Gramps," Danny sighed as he looked around the room. Frank, Linda, Nicki and Erin were fiercely glaring back at him. Eddie had a deer in the headlights look as she sank back into the chair. Poor girl, she sure picked a good one to sit in on for the first time.

"Okay then, well I guess I'll just wait in the kitchen for a bit before I head outside," he said as he was eager to put himself out of everyone else's view while he followed Jamie's path out of the room.

Frank meanwhile quickly headed for the sunroom and closed the doors behind him, partially to keep the noise down and also to make sure Kaylin was at least contained in one area. As Henry had surmised earlier, it was easy to see that the little girl had been exposed to terrible things in her young life, and given the fear she had shown at Danny's raised voice it most likely had to do with the company of men her mother used to keep. Two was such an impressionable age.

"Sweetheart," he called out to her in a soft voice as he sat down in the adjacent chair and tried to make contact. The last thing he wanted to do was frighten her any further. "Kaylin, it's alright. No one is going to yell or frighten you anymore. You can come out now." As expected, there was no movement, just a slight hitch in her crying to confirm that she heard him.

"You know I was hoping I could get someone to help me," he said as he sat down and pulled out some photo albums. He knew it was his voice that mattered, not the content of the conversation, but a nugget of something that would appeal to the little one couldn't hurt and Jamie had told him that she liked to play with photo books. "Remember the pictures we took last week when I came to visit you at Jamie's house? Well they turned out so nice I wanted to put one of them in my scrapbook here, but I can't decide which is the very best. Do you think you could come and see what you think?" It took a few moments, but Frank could hear movement and watched as the curtains trailed across the window as the little girl crawled out from behind the sofa. Kaylin loved picture books... they were her very favorite things, so Frank had certainly hit the nail on the head by using that to coax her out. She peered around the corner and came over slowly as he spread the small stack of prints out and did not protest as he lifted her up to his knee to see.

"This," she squeaked after a few moments of careful consideration as she pointed to one group shot they had taken by setting the timer. It was Frank and Henry sitting on the couch with Kaylin between them and Jamie and Eddie leaning over the back cushions with everyone smiling. It was a very nice photo indeed and there was already a framed copy sitting on his desk at work courtesy of Abigail Baker.

"I think that's the perfect one," Frank agreed as he opened the book to the first blank page and they pasted it in together. "Thank you, sweetie. That was a really big help. Do you want to look at some more pictures?" After she nodded he proceeded to sit back and go through the album, pointing out all the family members and naming them, telling her cute little stories about everyone so she could start to get familiar with them without any pressure. He was stunned when she could name each one from memory after only a few pages. The only one she hesitated with was Danny, but she finally said his name in the end. Still it was obvious to Frank that she shared the same type of eidetic memory he did with his youngest son. _Well I'll be damned,_ he thought with great amusement. _She's gonna give Jamie a run for his money with those match cards yet,_ he smiled. A few minutes later he was able to walk her back to the dining room and although she quickly crawled up in Eddie's lap, she didn't hide away anymore and even laughed a little as the boys were making funny faces and joking around with one another.

Meanwhile, Danny decided he'd probably allowed enough time to lapse for Jamie to regain his wits, and he didn't have far to go to find him he walked out the back door. His brother was hunched over with his elbows on his knees, sitting on the steps, still working on controlling his rage. His eyes were shut, and his forehead was resting on his crossed arms as he fought to relax himself; determined not to give in and make a scene that would further upset Kaylin.

The older brother sat down next to him and didn't say a word at first.

"Not now... Danny," Jamie warned as his throat was still tight. It wasn't often that he had felt such anger well up inside of him. "Can't yet..."

"Don't. Just relax, okay? Let me talk. Please, Jamie... I'm sorry, sometimes I'm just such an idiot. I didn't mean for all that to happen and I don't know why I get like that. You of all people should know stuff takes a while to get through this thick head of mine. This thing with your rookie…"

"George."

"Yeah, okay, George," Danny acquiesced. Calling him that was kind of like giving in and letting Jamie name one of the poor lost puppies he had dragged home all those times… suddenly that meant it became a responsibility and needed to be cared for. "I guess the reason I don't like him is because he's my kid brother's partner and I don't feel like I can trust him to have your back. That scares me the most… It's bad enough you're still out there every day as it is and now you'll be taking a newbie like that with you all the time. When you rode with Renzulli or Vinny, even Eddie… I didn't worry as much, but this guy..."

"I get that Danny," Jamie answered sharply. "And you've always worried, no matter who I rode with, but it's my job as his TO and commanding officer to give him a chance. Believe it or not, he does have some redeeming qualities that just aren't obvious at first. Patrol might not be the best fit, but there might be other areas he can serve in. If I feel like I can't rely on him completely, then I'm not afraid to make that call and let him go, but that's not going to happen until I say so… it's my decision. Trust me, there are a lot more things going on at the 3-5 that I need to be worried about other than George Emery Mahoy and I might just need his help to fix them."

He left the older man to puzzle on that before standing up and adding, "Danny, I don't know if you and I will ever see eye to eye on anything again. Right now honestly, I really don't give an eff if we do or not. Don't you ever pull crap like that in front of Kaylin or Eddie again or nothing Dad says will have me walking away to cool off." With that he turned and went back inside, allowing the screen door to slam behind him.

Danny sat outside for a while to consider what had been said. He knew Jamie had not made an idle threat, and it hurt to know that he had only succeeded in pushing his youngest brother further away, but the comment about things at the 3-5 stuck with him and ignited a new ember of worry within his heart. The only thing worse than facing perps on the street was to find corruption behind you in your own house, and the Reagan family was only too aware of the consequences for that after what happened to Joe. If Jamie was looking into dirty cops, he wasn't safe no matter who he was riding with and Danny vowed to keep a close watch on things whether his little brother liked it or not.

* * *

 _So things are left unresolved with Danny as Jamie is in full pappa bear mode. How will he react when someone steps in and threatens his custody of Kaylin and will it cause issues between Jamko just as they're starting out as a couple?_


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

"So I've completed the necessary coursework and submitted all the paperwork to be certified as a foster parent now," Jamie said confidently as he sat in his apartment and watched Ms. Adams pull out a few toys with her folders before spreading out a number of forms on his coffee table. The social worker had shown up exactly at her appointed time for their first scheduled home visit and he had been ready and waiting for her. Kaylin was busily entertaining herself with several new books courtesy of her grandpa as she scooched behind the single chair on the side of the living room. It was a safe space, and she liked to be enclosed if something made her nervous so Jamie did not have an issue with it. Ms. Adams though was throwing repeated displeased looks in that direction which left him puzzled. "Is there something wrong?" he asked. "It's just a spot she likes to take her books to look at sometimes."

"She's not interacting socially. She should be curious about the items I brought with me."

"Well she's been a bit shy with new people," Jamie admitted. "But overall I think she's been adjusting well. It's only been a few weeks since the accident and she's already attending daycare without any issues."

"When she was examined in the hospital, there were no deficits in that noted previously."

"I beg to differ on that point," Jamie disagreed. "When I arrived she was traumatized and hiding in the corner of the crib. The nurse told us they hadn't been able to get her to settle at all. I stayed with her all night that first day so she wouldn't shut down."

"Not what the paperwork says," Ms. Adams insisted as she checked off some boxes on her forms. "I am going to recommend an evaluation with a psychologist."

"What? Why?" Jamie was caught off guard. Kaylin had made so much progress in the past several weeks he couldn't imagine anyone thinking differently.

"Procedure," the older woman answered curtly as she continued to make notes. "Unlike some people, I feel it's important."

Jamie felt his blood pressure going up as the social worker seemed bent on throwing as many roadblocks in his way as possible but he maintained his hold and kept his voice calm, determined to stay the course and make it through the interview without breaking. Ms. Adams, however wasn't done yet, and she looked up and allowed her eyes to roam around the apartment, immediately settling down on the newly added photo on the bookcase. After Kaylin had picked out the group picture she liked, Frank had a copy framed and waiting for her the next week when she arrived for Sunday dinner. It was now one of her most cherished possessions.

"May I ask what your relationship is with Officer Janko?" Ms. Adams asked.

Jamie tilted his head quizzically at the question, somehow it seemed out of line but he was afraid she would use something against him if he did not disclose everything truthfully. "Edit Janko and I are former partners on the job, and we've recently begun seeing each other romantically after I was promoted and transferred to a different precinct, is that important?"

"Anyone who has close personal contact with the child is important, Mr. Reagan," she reminded, intentionally dropping his professional title, "especially when certain things are done in the public eye and that person is intimately connected to a known felon." There was a lilt in her voice as more notes were hurriedly jotted on her damn form. While she demanded strict adherence to rules for everyone else, it never bothered her to break them on her own if she felt the need. "It would not be flattering to her I'm sure if that became public knowledge, and it is cause to show a poor example is being set for the child."

"But she's a decorated NYPD officer," Jamie said in shock at what she was implying. He knew that Eddie's family situation had always been a touchy subject for her and imagined it would indeed be difficult if it became public fodder since she was now dating the Police Commissioner's son. "What Mr. Janko did is not a secret, Ms. Adams," he added. "And Eddie is not responsible for her father's actions. He is."

"Still if you were to be found acting inappropriately with her and the child is in the apartment…" Ms. Adams trailed off with her implied threat. She had been furious when Jamie had performed an end run around her objections to Kaylin's custody and was prepared to make the process as difficult as she could for him out of spite. "There are rules in place for a reason. I don't like privileged people like yourself who think they can do what they want and circumvent the system."

"I intend to carry this through and adopt her, Ms. Adams," Jamie added a bit defiantly as it was clear now that she would take any opportunity against him anyway. "And Kaylin's foster records are sealed. If there's a leak to the press I will promise you that it will be investigated fully."

"Those might be your intentions, but I see a child that has regressed socially after being thrown into a chaotic household, and my reports carry a great deal of weight, Mr. Reagan," she assured as she began to gather up her materials. "And I will not be railroaded by people with power and privilege," she added. "My office will contact you with a date for the evaluation. I would advise you not to miss it. I'll see myself out," she added before leaving.

Jamie remained in stunned silence as Kaylin came over and happily jumped in his lap now that the scary, bitter lady had left. "Oh, sweetness," he sighed as he was finally able to give her a big hug now that his shoulder had healed and was out of the immobilizer. He knew full well what this Adams woman was up to and the conversation he would be forced to have with Eddie. "I don't blame you one bit. I'd hide under a chair now too if I could."

###

"She really said that about my dad?" Eddie asked as a total look of hurt and disbelief crossed her face and Jamie cursed the fact that he had just put it there. He'd asked her to meet him at a small nondescript pub near the 12th for a drink after her shift, not one of their usual choices which seemed off to her considering they originally had plans to go out to a nice dinner after he picked Kaylin up from daycare.

"She really did; I'm so sorry, Ed," he admitted without meeting her eyes.

"Can't you report her?"

"No, I've already looked into that," he answered. "Erin has a friend that practices family law in that area and she says that Ms. Adams is a senior in her department and has a reputation for doing things like this with impunity. Her superior will not step in because there's such a wide interpretation of the rules." He sighed and continued with a very heavy heart. "There's more, Ed. She's been known to leak stuff like this to the press in the past to cause issues and as much as threatened to do that to us. It wouldn't be who your dad is that would drive that," he added sadly. "It would be mine... that and the fact it would be such a big story because of what happened at the bridge. We'd have people following us everywhere looking for something to sensationalize. It'll be a nightmare, and she could use anything like that to contest my adoption petition."

"But can't your dad do something? He's the Commissioner! He can't let her get away with this!"

"That's exactly what she's hoping for I think," Jamie admitted angrily. "I talked to dad, and he's afraid it will look worse if he goes in there and yanks anyone's chain. She's bent on taking Kaylin away from me and will use anything she can. I can't let that happen!"

"So what does this mean for us?" Eddie cried, suddenly afraid of the writing on the wall and the reason they were meeting here in the back corner of a little pub instead of at his apartment or a nice restaurant. "Are you breaking up with me? Are you saying that I can't see Kaylin anymore either?" She had become deeply attached to the little girl in just a short time and had allowed herself to open up to the possibility of a happy family life… something that had obviously been just a pipe dream for her before. Once again her father's indiscretions were coming back to haunt her and now it was threatening to do the same for another little girl. As much as she was growing to love Jamie and that child, she couldn't let that happen again.

"No! God no!" Jamie assured as he reached across the table and took her hand, his eyes seeking out hers. "Please don't think that!" he exclaimed. "I love you, Eddie, and she's not going to get away with this. We're just going to have to keep our relationship cool for a while though," he admitted with frustration. "I need time to get things together. She made a big mistake in telling me that records showed that Kaylin had no socialization issues noted at the hospital. That's obviously false and I'm gonna find out who's responsible for that if I have to depose all the nurses and doctors that were there. It was entered into the record of the court when I petitioned for the extension too, so if was changed I can get her for falsifying records. She's not the only one that knows how to play hardball," he vowed, "but it could get ugly and I don't want to see you hurt either. I know this stuff with your dad is tough for you to deal with. I can't promise it won't come out in some way."

"What will your family think?" she asked, suddenly panicked. "What if it's my fault she takes Kaylin away? Do they even know about my dad?" In the whirlwind of what had happened recently, Eddie hadn't even given that much thought… assuming that at some point in the last two years the status of his partner's father must have been discussed at one of those Sunday dinners.

"Dad does... has for a while," Jamie admitted. "But it's not something I really brought up before to anyone else… It wasn't important to me!" he insisted while doubt flashed across her face as she jumped to the conclusion that he had hidden it because he was ashamed of her. "What your father did should not reflect on you!"

"But it does," she said shaking her head and tearing up. "And now it will for you too. I hate him for what he's done to me… to us…" she trailed off. "It would be better for all of you if I just walked away."

"Don't!" Jamie pleaded. "Please, Eddie! I don't ever want to hear you say something like that again! You're not the only one whose family comes with baggage. None of this would be happening if my last name wasn't Reagan," he stopped as he rubbed his face with both hands. Why did everything always have to be so complicated?

"Erin's friend advised that the only thing that would really be admissible in court is if Adams showed that we were acting inappropriately around Kaylin so meeting or staying over at the apartment is out, but church or Sunday dinner at the family home is okay. I'm so sorry," he added as the new wave of disappointment came over Eddie's eyes. "I know you want to spend more time together but it's temporary. I'm gonna push this adoption through as fast as I can."

"How long?" she whispered, suddenly envisioning endless solitary nights at her own apartment and feeling lonelier now than she thought possible. "You're 30th birthday is coming up next weekend, and I wanted to do something special for you!"

"About three months," he revealed with unease as he watched her roll her eyes and shake her head. "Unless she can find some way to delay it further." It hurt his heart just saying those words out loud. They had waited so long to be together and now this of all things was threatening to come between them.

"We have to stay apart all through the holidays?" she murmured with great sadness. "It's not fair! I thought finally… you know… maybe? For once in my life they would be happy this year."

"They will be," Jamie promised as he squeezed her hands harder. He had far more planned for the two of them that couldn't be revealed just yet. There was wooing to be done after all and Eddie deserved so much more than he had been able to show her just yet. "I promise you, Ed. I'm gonna do everything in my power to get this settled so we can all be together. It's all I can think about. Please believe me, lambchop."

"I believe you, Jamie," she said quietly. "I just don't know if that will be enough."

* * *

 _So will that nasty Ms. Adams come between our lovebirds and ruin Jamie's big birthday celebration on top of threatening to take Kaylin away, or will Eddie find that maybe she underestimated how much the Reagan family was willing to do for one another behind the scenes?_


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

"That effing shriveled hag of a woman said _what?_ " Wilson barked as he and Eddie sat in their patrol car during a day tour the following Monday morning. "Is she crazy? No wonder you look like you've just lost your best friend." He frowned at that unfortunate choice of words and then continued. "I'm sorry, Janko, that was a really crappy way to put it. Reagan's a smart guy, he must have a plan for dealing with her."

"He does," she admitted. "But it means that we have to stay away from each other for the most part while he handles it."

"Well that sucks. He could just order that Michael's kid at the 3-5 to run her down in an RMP the next time we call her out to a scene," Wilson griped. "At least he'd even the score and take out someone to make the world a better place this time. I'd talk to him myself to keep your hands clean in it all." He paused with his joking as he looked at his sullen partner. She had been so spunky for the past few weeks and now they were back to the gloom and doom. He hated that. "I thought you had big plans for this coming weekend. I mean the shoulder's healed, it's the big 3-0, sounds like the perfect time for you two to finally knock some…"

"Wilson!" Eddie interrupted. "Please don't go sayin' that again!"

"C'mon, she can't have eyes on you all the time! What is she, the KGB? I'm just looking out for my partner," he grumbled. "What does the family say? I'm guessing it was a big topic at dinner yesterday."

"There's not much to say," she admitted. "I mean they were all nice when they heard about my dad being down at Fort Dix, but I'm sure there was talk later… there always is when people find out what he did."

"Eddie, you can't carry guilt for something that was out of your control. You were just a kid for crying out loud."

"Yeah, a kid that went to an expensive boarding school and wanted for nothing because my dad was busy stealing hard-earned money from all of our friends… a kid whose daddy gave her a flashy sports car for graduation just before he was busted and we lost everything. That's exactly the kind of kid I was. And now because of me a little girl that had nothing might lose the best possible thing that could have ever happened to her. Don't be so quick to say that I don't have any responsibility in this. It's not like I turned down all the stuff they gave me and donated it to the poor. I'm no Mother Teresa."

"Janko," Wilson said with a heavy sigh. "Don't go doing anything dumb or that little girl is not the only one that's gonna lose something she deserves." Any further conversation on the matter was interrupted as Central radioed in to report a traffic accident on 8th and Eddie hit the lights and siren while he pulled the car away from the curb. A full contingent of calls kept them busy for the rest of the day and Eddie mercifully had little time to think about her predicament or how the plans she had made for a special evening with Jamie would need to be cancelled now.

###

Jamie, on the other hand, was feeling equally depressed during his first tour back on full duty, but George was so happy finally to be out of the office and away from the paperwork he didn't dare ask his sergeant what was wrong. The pair spent the entire morning walking up and down the streets in their assigned area checking in with local shop owners and scanning cars for registration violations before being called out as backup on yet another 10-20 as the smash and grab armed crew hit another jewelry store after having remained under the radar for the past several weeks.

Renzulli and his rookie Evans were already on scene and rolling out the caution tape when Jamie and his partner drove up. It was a familiar location from his time at the 12th and he looked on with dread after hearing the call for the coroner and CSU come out for a male victim. This time an elderly storekeeper had resisted and paid the ultimate price, striking his head on the jewelry case when he was pushed down. Now the crew had escalated to homicide and Jamie knew his brother would be feeling a renewed pressure to close the case. Thus far there had been no credible leads or breaks to help them.

"So it's poor old Mr. Hooper, huh?" he asked his old TO after getting out of the car.

"Yeah," Renzulli replied with disgust. "You know how he was... too stubborn for his own damn good. He'd of never let them walk out of the place without try'in to stop them."

"What was he even doing here?" Jamie asked. "I thought he retired last year and let his daughter take over the store."

"EMS has her over at the ambulance," Renzulli confirmed. "She was in the back office when it happened… says dad only comes in on days when there's big deliveries to help unpack and take inventory. By the time she got to the front he was laying on the floor with his head split open and two cases had been smashed and emptied. TARU is pulling the surveillance footage, but it's the same deal I'm sure, masks and hoodies disappearing into a white van. We never get anything on them."

"Damn, I knew it was something like that," Jamie swore. "Always days when the shipments come in."

"Yeah, well that doesn't do much to narrow it down, kid, these places get deliveries all the time. You better not let your brother catch you playing detective, or there will be hell to pay," he said as he nodded towards Danny and Baez who had just pulled up in their unmarked. "We've got company. How often do three precincts roll on one call?"

"Here we go," Jamie muttered under his breath as he watched his older brother get out of the car. Things had remained strained between them for the past two weeks since the fated birthday party. He had an idea about how to track down the people responsible for these crimes but he was loathe to share it at the moment since it had been dismissed once before and involved a heavy dose of George's special talents. Maybe it would be better to give it a go first and pass anything they discovered on later. Danny couldn't be mad if he ended up handing him the case on a silver platter right? Of course he could, he was Daniel Reagan after all, but Jamie felt he owed it to Mr. Hooper and his family as well as the next innocent victim to give it a try.

Renzulli raised an eyebrow and pursed his lips after he watched Danny walk by, offering only a brusque "Sergeants," as an acknowledgement without even meeting his brother's eyes as he and Baez ducked under the tape. She offered a half-smile and shrug with a soft "Afternoon," at least.

"Cripes, kid," he muttered as he looked as his old boot. "What d'ja do to him? Piss in his cornflakes this morning? I'd be watching my back if I were you. Speaking of which," he added as he turned around and puffed out his chest. "What's this I hear you put together a team for the tournament? What? You trying to come after me? You think you've got what it takes, Reagan?" he challenged gruffly but in good nature.

"Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown, Sarge," Jamie grinned. "Don't tell me the king is worried about a little competition."

"Well, I'm not losing any sleep over it, Harvard, if that's what you think. I've seen the cops in your platoon. You just remember _that_ when we wipe you off the bases. Damn upstart _,_ kid. Put your money where your mouth is… loser buys a round for the whole team afterwards?"

"You got it, Sarge. Name the time and place," Jamie laughed. "And I'll be sure the 3-5 will be there to collect."

###

"There she is!" Erin exclaimed from the driver's seat as she nudged Linda's arm and the pair quickly exited her car that was parked across the street from the 12th precinct. They hurried to catch up with Eddie as she left work and made her way down the street towards her vehicle and another lonely dinner for one. She was a little startled when the two called her name before rushing up on either side and locking arms with her, gently changing her direction and guiding her the opposite way down the street towards the local cafe where she and Erin first had coffee just weeks before.

"Wait... What is this?" she laughed. "Am I being kidnapped?"

"Not quite!" Linda admitted before the three entered the establishment and were seated at a table. "But we've got a plan to do a little of that if you're game," she continued.

"What is she talking about?" Eddie asked as she shimmied out of her coat and eyed the two woman. Despite their rocky start, Erin had proven to be a good friend in recent weeks and Linda had been very kind despite the continued tension between the two Reagan brothers.

"We were chatting after you and Jamie left the house yesterday," Erin admitted, "about how unfair it is that you had to cancel your plans with him for his birthday because of everything going on. We want to make it right," she added with a bright smile. "The best present I could ever give my little brother is to see to it that the two of you get to enjoy his big day together… you know, alone… without _any_ company," she added suggestively. "It's for his own good," she insisted. "The boy's gonna stroke out if he has to wait much longer, anyone can see that."

"But how?" Eddie asked as her heart started thumping a little at the implication. She had given up hope for a first romantic night at any point in the near future and was overwhelmed that Jamie's famously Irish Catholic family would play such an active role in setting something like that in motion, especially with a person like her. "Is it safe? I don't want to screw up anything up if that Adams woman is still on the warpath."

"Don't worry, you just leave that to us," Linda assured. "We've both been around cops for long enough now to be able to plan a little _undercover_ mission," she laughed. "If you catch my drift."

"Linda!" Eddie exclaimed. "I can't believe you two!"

"Believe it," Erin assured. "And leave it all to us. Don't breathe a word of this to Jamie… just have your bags packed on Friday ready for an overnight to a nice resort and dinner… someone will pick you up here after work and we'll make sure everything is taken care of. My dad's volunteered to take care of Kaylin for the night and he'll get Jamie where he needs to go."

"Your dad!" Eddie gasped, not quite believing that the New York City Police Commissioner would be involved in planning a secret tryst for his youngest son.

"Who do you think came up with the idea?" Linda laughed. "Honey, you've got a lot to learn about this family. Frank's had a few rendezvous of his own the past couple of years so he knows how to plan them, and he's no prude. I've got the Mohonk Mountain House on speed dial for whenever Danny really screws up. That's far enough out of the city so the two of you won't have to worry about that woman. There's a suite booked under our name... you just go and enjoy yourselves, they have tons of fun activities and the food is out of this world, but it's up to you whether you come out of the room or not," she added with a grin.

"Remember, not a word to Jamie," Erin warned. "Now where's that dessert menu? No one's planning anything like this for me and suddenly I feel the need to drown my sorrows in some double chocolate cheesecake!" she smirked and rolled her eyes. "Anyone care to join me?"

Eddie beamed. Suddenly she felt like she might just fit into the Reagan family and things would work out after all.

* * *

 _Next up, a little progress is made on the robbery case and Jamie suddenly finds himself in hot water with his father, or so he thinks..._


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

"C'mon, George, tell me you've got something good for me," Jamie asked gruffly as he walked into his office and threw his keys down on the desk. He had carved out a few hours of personal time first thing Friday morning to take Kaylin to her psychologist appointment and had charged his rookie to stay at the precinct and work on his ideas about tracking down some leads on the armed robbery suspects. It was not how he had wanted to start the day, but the appointment at the doctor's office had gone well and the psychologist agreed with the way Jamie was handling Kaylin's insecurities so he had been assured that the toddler would get a positive report with a copy sent directly to him for his files. Ms. Adams wasn't going to play games with that, he promised himself, even though he was still cursing her for the fact that he and Eddie were forced to spend so much time apart now. Although they talked daily on the phone, he really missed her company and was getting the full dose of single dad life now as a result.

So it was back to work with just over half the day to close out the week. Jamie's superior, Lieutenant Carson, had kept his platoon on the Monday through Friday day shift for the last several weeks, in part to stick it to Sergeant Michael a little with some extended night tours after a blow up between the two over the missing records, but the full rotation was starting next week with swing and his off days would shift so Jamie was grateful he was able to get Kaylin's evaluation out of the way before her childcare schedule would change over to Mrs. Henderson.

"I'm sorry, sir," the trainee admitted. "I triple checked and there is no correlation between anyone anywhere in the delivery process for the stores that were hit. Different drivers, carriers and the orders received the day of the incidents were all placed from different vendors. I even went so far as to check the maintenance companies for their vehicles. No dice."

"So we got nothing," Jamie sighed. So much for his brilliant theory. Maybe detective work was harder than it looked he thought begrudgingly, as much as he would have hated to admit that to his older brother.

"Not exactly," George said with self-satisfaction. "I got an idea after I looked at the value of the deliveries that day versus the rest of the stock the stores had on hand. The percentages were always above a certain point. There is one link between all of the incidents. My uncle owns a high-end antique store. I gave him a call and he said that when he's expecting an expensive shipment he needs to notify his insurance agency with a manifest of the inventory coming in. Each of the stores hit had a delivery amount that day that would have triggered a declaration and an automatic recalculation of their coverage. It varies with their policy, so I had to come up with a formula to be sure. I took some actuary courses in college before dad stepped in and, shall we say, redirected me."

"So the insurance agency is the same?" Jamie asked with great interest, already anticipating the smug look he would give his brother when he tossed that revelation at him.

"Not exactly."

"George, you're killing me with those 'not exactly's'," Jamie admitted with a heavy sigh. "And antiques? I thought your people were dentists?"

"Maternal uncle from Jersey," George clarified as Jamie reflected that the same conversation could have revolved around aluminum siding on his own mother's side. "All of the insurance agencies were different but they each share the same underwriter," he revealed with a flourish as he spun his chair around and tilted the monitor for Jamie to see… "Randall Simpson of West Side Financial. Wanna make a bet he gets contacted each time to reevaluate the policy to make sure it will cover the new items?"

"BINGO! George. Brilliant man!" Jamie clapped his rookie on the back. "Can you wrap all that information up in small words with a big pretty red bow so I can go drop it off on my brother's desk? I swear you just gave me the best birthday present I could have asked for after the week I've had!"

"Anything for you, Sarge," George replied confidently; it felt good to earn such praise after a rocky start to his NYPD career and he appreciated the fact that his boss was giving him the chance to find his niche. "And a happy birthday to you, sir. Enjoy the rest of your day. My Gram would tell you to remember that you're not thirty; you're eighteen with twelve years of experience." he added with a smile as his fingers flew over the keyboard and he downloaded the results to a waiting USB drive.

###

"Sergeant Reagan!" the Lieutenant's rough voice cut through the hallway as Jamie returned from his little jaunt over to the 5-4 to drop off his packet of information. He had been greatly disappointed upon his arrival there to find that his brother was not in the building, but true to his word he left the envelope detailing George's findings on Danny's desk under an enormous red bow he had stopped to pick up at a local convenience store on the way over. _Maybe that had been a little over the top,_ he thought as he sighed before turning around to see just what had irritated his commanding officer so much in the short time he had been gone. "I've just received a call from the Commissioner himself," the older man growled. "You are being 10-2'd to 1PP forthwith after the stunt you pulled! Your rookie can stay here and work the desk for the rest of the shift!"

"Seriously?" Jamie asked without thinking, wondering how his superior would even know what had just happened. Surely Danny had not already gone to their father over the little kerfuffle they were having… that wasn't his style.

"DO I LOOK LIKE I'M KIDDING, SERGEANT?!" Carson barked although there was a twinkle in his eyes that Jamie did not detect. The Lieutenant had been informed that this was a setup so had been given the green light to have a little fun at his junior officer's expense.

"Yes, sir. I mean no, sir!" Jamie stammered, now clearly rattled. "On my way now, sir," he answered as he turned heel and headed back for the door, his stomach turning anxiously on the whole drive over to his father's office. Whatever it was couldn't be good if he was being summoned there like this, he worried. His thoughts were further complicated when the elevator stopped on the second floor during the ride upstairs and a familiar nemesis boarded, an instant scowl appearing on his face.

"Well if it isn't baby Reagan," Paul Denison sneered.

"Counselor," Jamie acknowledged with an edge in his voice. This was so not the time to engage in another verbal sparring match, but apparently the other man had not read that particular memo.

"What's the matter, gotta come see daddy to fix a parking ticket?"

"And how'd that marijuana case go down? Heard the warrant was thrown out," Jamie rebutted, shaking his head and staring straight ahead as he watched the lights above the door climb to nine. Five more floors. "Shame to lose a six-figure collar like that," he jabbed.

"Come talk to me when someone puts you in charge of a fifteen million dollar trial," Denison snarked back. "Now run along, I'm sure you have some hookers that need to be pulled off their street corner... and thank you for your service, Sergeant," he quickly added as the doors opened on the fourteenth floor to reveal a stone-faced Frank Reagan on point awaiting their arrival. The Commissioner raised an eyebrow and watched the older man slink back down the hall towards legal as he read the frustrated look on his son's face.

"Did I interrupt something?" he questioned evenly.

"Oh, um, nothing I can't handle," Jamie said nervously as his towering father walked forward into his space and stepped him back into the elevator with an unreadable look before turning around after pushing the button for the garage level. _What the hell is going on here?_ he wondered with trepidation, afraid to so much as steal another glance his dad's way. Frank had that whole scary quiet 'Godfather' aura going on right now that could render each of his children spitless, and he was not one to let an extended family feud go on forever. For some reason the thought occurred to Jamie that maybe he was being taken to the gym so that he and Danny could work out their differences by beating the crap out of one another in the boxing ring. That didn't make any sense, though... and yet he couldn't shake the distinct feeling like he was being dragged towards the proverbial woodshed… but surely not on his birthday of all days? Maybe there was at least time to try to get to the bottom of it before the butterflies exploded out of his stomach on their own. "Dad?" he questioned with marked hesitation. "What's... um, happening here?"

"Your keys," Frank ordered gruffly after maintaining complete silence until they reached the lower floor and the doors opened to reveal a waiting black SUV with heavily tinted windows and an unfamiliar driver.

"Come again, sir?" Jamie asked with a pounding heart, suddenly feeling like a perp that knew he was on a one-way trip to visit the scenic riverfront with a lead chaser to the back of the head.

"The keys," his father reiterated, "to the Mustang. I'll need them to pick up Kaylin at daycare since I don't have a car seat for her," he revealed as he pursed his lips and wrinkled his mustache. "You'll be busy the rest of the evening, I assume," he added ominously.

"I will, sir?" Jamie questioned with a heavy swallow as he obediently produced the item from one of his cargo pockets and handed it over. "May I ask what I'll be doing?"

"That I want absolutely no direct knowledge of... I insist on plausible deniability," Frank revealed sternly before his face finally cracked into a smile as they reached the car and he pulled the door open, revealing an equally nervous-looking Edit Janko sitting in the back seat dressed casually in the pair of jeans and white cable knit sweater she had worn to work before being 10-2'd in a similar fashion and swept away from the 12th precinct under tight security. She broke into a grin though when she saw the utter look of disbelief cross Jamie's face as he stared back blankly. "Happy birthday, son. I can't believe my youngest is hitting the big 3-0 today," his father sighed, giving him a kiss on the top of the head while Jamie stood rooted in place as the reality of the situation was beginning to hit him and relief washed over. "I must be getting old," Frank added. It did make him feel that way as much as he hated to admit it. "Now you two go on and enjoy yourselves," he said as he pushed his youngest into the car. "Pop and I will take care of everything with Kaylin, don't worry about her one bit. There's a suitcase in the back with your clothes, and you can thank your sister and Linda for setting this up when you get back," he added as he closed the door and signaled the driver to go before offering a wave and turning back towards the elevator, delighting in the fact that he could still put the fear of God into one of his own if needed.

"You _knew_ about this?" Jamie asked as his power of speech returned and he turned towards Eddie in amazement while the rest of his senses started to come back and his eyes began to sparkle. It was so like his family to intervene, and he was going to owe them big-time for this. "Um, can I ask where are we headed exactly or is that classified too?"

"Oh, someplace called Mohonk," she explained as visions of cliffs flashed before Jamie's eyes as he recalled Addison's former insistence that they jump to their deaths… er, rappel there. "Linda said there's a great resort and a suite waiting for us tonight," she revealed as her hand reached over and loosened his tie before sliding it slowly off. "And lots and lots of activities, Sergeant Reagan. We'll just have to work on getting you out of that uniform though, you know... before we can investigate those," she added with a suggestive low rasp in her voice that instantly drove every other thought out of his brain.

Rendered completely speechless once more, Jamie just closed his eyes and shook his head with a smirk as he took her hand and steeled himself for the hour-long drive to get to their destination. His adrenaline was surging as he thought about what that meant finally for the two of them and it wasn't going to take very much work at all to ditch the rest of his blues, of that he was certain.

* * *

 _Finally, right?! That's one of my very favorite chapters, but it starts a good run of them because I can't choose between this or the next two... I also like the family stuff! Next up, our lovebirds canoodle at the resort as Frank, Henry and Kaylin share a little more bonding time before the story starts to swing back to the action side of things..._


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

"Oh, Reagan, I think that was the best thing I've ever experienced in bed before," Eddie moaned as she delighted in the last bite of a berry-filled breakfast crepe drizzled in honey and topped with fresh whipped cream that she had pilfered from the room service cart. Linda was right, the food here was out of this world.

"You would say that about something to eat," he muttered as he quickly rolled over and pinned her back down on the silky pillow as his lips sought her out once more and would not be denied. "For shame, Edit…" he murmured as he methodically worked his way down the soft skin of her neck with his hand lightly tracing over the rest of her beautiful physical features, pausing to hover and excite them before reaching behind and drawing her in closer still, "...hitting a guy where it hurts for his birthday of all times... I'm gonna have to make you take that back..." Over two years of repressed sexual tension had been released overnight, leaving them both completely satisfied and more deeply in love with one another than either had thought possible. They were like two keys that fit the same lock and neither one had experienced such a connection before.

"There's no comparison," she sighed impishly as she thoroughly relaxed and gave into his gentle touch as he moved down her body. "It's so sweet and yummy… and… oh my God, Jamie, _please_ _don't stop that…_ seriously… I can't believe... it took us so long... to finally figure this out..."

"I know…" he groaned as he moved higher once more to crash harder against her lips and step up the intensity until they were finally forced to break apart once more, exhausted. "I just haven't decided how I'm ever gonna look at you again and not think of doing _that_ all the time until we get this mess sorted out," he said weakly and he laid back and covered his head with a pillow. "Dinners will be impossible, my family will see right through me and somehow I don't think we'll be able to pull off this amazing secret rendezvous stuff too many times between now and then, especially when Linda gets her credit card bill," he added with a muffled laugh.

"Wilson thinks you should just put out a hit on Ms. Adams," she offered playfully. "He even offered to set it up. Said it would be for the greater good of mankind, or at least our squad car. He likes me better when I'm chatty and knocking boots with you, apparently."

"Great," he answered flatly, knowing full well from experience what those little RMP conversations must be like between the two as she curled up against him and allowed her hand to roam lightly over his chest once more while threatening to slide dangerously lower. "Don't... think... I haven't considered it, especially when you do things... like that," Jamie admitted while he took a deep breath as he sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed before slipping into a pair of sweatpants and walking into the bathroom to splash some cold water on his face. "C'mon, shorty, we've gotta get out of this room for a while before I hurt myself again. Pick an outdoor activity, anything..." he pleaded. "I really just need some air. No one can keep up with you!"

"Such an old man," Eddie teased under her breath before she grabbed one of the brochures from the bedside table and gathered the sheets around her as she scootched up and sat up against the headboard. "I guess you need some rest before I break you. There's hiking along the scenic trail up by the cliffs," she called out. "The next guide leaves in fifteen minutes from the lobby."

"Oh, no... anything but _that,_ Janko!"

###

"Sweetheart, please? You _have_ to eat something," a harried-looking Frank cajoled the little girl after a mostly sleepless night spent downstairs on the couch with Kaylin having bad dreams and refusing to stay in her room… too upset at being in a different bed and suddenly away from Jamie. Ever since the accident she had not taken to abrupt change well. "Would you like a grilled cheese sandwich?"

"Francis, it's seven-thirty in the morning," and equally exhausted Henry muttered from the recliner where he had spent the last few hours. "I think we can do better than grilled cheese."

"Then what, Pop? Should I just call up the street to Cafe Pierre's and have them hand deliver a Florentine crepe with a nice side of Hollandaise sauce? Even Jamie was never this bad whenever he went on a hunger strike."

"She's a little girl, Francis," Henry yawned. "She's not gonna drop over because she's barely eaten in twelve hours. Why don't you just give your son a ring and let him talk to her. I'm sure they're up by now."

Frank couldn't even bring himself to consider what he might be interrupting if he gave Jamie a call on this particular morning. Danny had told him once that kids never wanted to know about their parent's sex lives, but the same held true the other way around, especially with his youngest, the baby of the family even if he was thirty years old now. "And admit that we failed at this and have him know she's been upset all this time? I told him everything was fine when he checked in last night. It'll ruin the day for him, Pop."

"Well then you need to figure something out. You're the great mastermind when it comes to dealing with people. You command 35,000 cops on a daily basis… are you gonna be outwitted by a two-year-old?"

Frank looked down at the pair of sad weepy blue eyes above the big frowny face and his heart melted. There had to be a way to bring Mohammed to the mountain without him finding out about it. Suddenly he had a idea. "Kaylin, sweetie… let's go look at some picture books," he offered as he picked her up and carried her out to the sunroom.

"Hm. I'll start the coffee," Henry grunted.

When the backdoor opened forty-five minutes later and Erin walked in, she found Kaylin in her footie pajamas sitting on the floor of the sunroom in the middle of a big pile of photo albums with Frank and Henry both asleep in their robes with their mouths open and snoring like bookends leaning each way on either side of the couch. She stifled a laugh as she took out her phone and snapped a couple pictures and a few seconds of video to capture the complete scene. One could never have enough good blackmail material in this household, and if Jamie ever caught sight of the two of them like that when they were supposed to be babysitting there would be hell to pay. Careful not to disturb what looked obviously like the only sleep that had been offered all night, she quietly took her coat off and sat down cross-legged next to the little girl to see what she was up to.

"Hi Kaylin," she whispered. "What are you looking at, baby?"

"Jammie," the toddler replied sadly as she pointed to him in a picture of the family from last Christmas.

"Oh, did you miss him last night?" Erin asked as she pulled the little one up in her lap after she nodded. "Well don't worry, honey… he's coming home later today, but let's see here," she said as she searched through the pile. "I think one of these books is all his," she murmured as she picked the right one up and an envelope of photos fell out. "Yup, this is it, and look at these pictures that haven't been pasted in yet. These are all from last year when he went to visit his friend Spencer in California. Do you know what this is?" she asked as she held one up.

"Beach," Kaylin answered softly as she rubbed her eyes.

"Right!" Erin affirmed as she continued to sort through the photos. "And this one is of Jamie when he was surfing. See the big wave here? Can you believe he knows how to do that? None of us have ever watched him in person but each year when he goes out there to see Spencer he tries and tries until he gets at least one good ride in all the way to the beach. He says it's his right of passage for the new year. Do you like the beach?" she asked.

Kaylin nodded, "and sand 'asles."

"Oh, well then Jamie is going to have to make doubly sure that he takes you out there so you can play. Spencer has a great big house and it's on one of the nicest warm beaches anywhere... it's a perfect place to make sand castles. We'll talk to Jamie all about it when he gets home tonight, okay baby? Maybe by that time he'll be able to take Eddie along too? Would you like that?" She smiled when Kaylin nodded eagerly.

Erin glanced once more at her father and grandfather as they were still snoring almost in perfect harmony now. Sighing, she picked Kaylin up and took her into the kitchen, guessing correctly from the assorted mess in there that they had not been able to tempt the child to eat with anything previously offered. "Sweetie, are you hungry?" she asked and smiled when the little girl nodded again. "Would you want some pancakes for breakfast?"

"Yes, p'ease," Kaylin answered politely.

"Okay then, why don't you sit here with some apple juice," Erin said as she put the little girl down at the table on a booster seat and pulled out a clean sippy cup. "And I'll get started on making us some." She glanced back to the sunroom and decided not to disturb the two exhausted men, but could not resist directing one comment their way.

"Amateurs"

###

"I think that was the best secret rendezvous birthday kidnapping date ever," Eddie sighed as the driver pulled off on the exit for Bay Ridge and headed towards the Reagan family home to drop Jamie off before continuing into the city to leave Eddie at her car. "How are you ever going to top that?" she asked as she cuddled in the seat next to him, savoring their last intimate minutes together. There wouldn't even be a moment to steal at dinner the following day as Eddie was scheduled to work. Luckily they were both on swing during the upcoming week so their shifts would coincide. There was always the possibility of at least running into each other during the tour. It was all they had at this point.

"Me? Seriously?" he murmured as he kissed the top of her head and breathed in the scent of her intoxicating french vanilla shampoo. "You're already expecting me to top _that?_ "

"You promised to woo me, Reagan. I wanna be wooed. It's the only way I'm gonna make it through the next three months until we can be together like that all the time."

"Okay, okay, you're right," he smiled. "And impossible and demanding," he muttered with a smirk under his breath.

"What was that?"

"Oh, I said I'll try. Anything for you, lambchop. I fully intend to woo you to the best of my abilities, Ms. Janko," Jamie smiled as he leaned over and reached for her hand, raising it to his lips and kissing it softly. He gently nuzzled her cheek and used his fingers to turn her towards him. "I just want to do it... from up close... and personal... every chance... I can get," he breathed between kisses as he worked his way down her neck.

"Okay, okay, down boy," she laughed as she brought her hand up and pushed the two of them apart. "We have company. Poor Mike here doesn't want an eyeful of that in his rear view mirror. You're making it hard to say no, but you are going to owe me something spectacularly romantic if you want me to say yes to anything else, and remember, I'm not easy to please."

Jamie's eyes lit up. _Game on,_ he thought as he accepted her challenge.

* * *

 _Okay, I lied a little at the end of the last chapter. Next there's a Sunday dinner where the Reagan brothers face off once more and a good bit of fun is had at poor Jamie's expense, then we're back to the action! Sorry! I've got a lot of strings to start pulling together if we're ever going to get to the end of this one… and you all thought "Resurrection" was long. I'm way past that point already and have many more blanks to fill in. These things really take on a life of their own as I go. lol!_


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

"He really looks exhausted," Henry commented quietly to Frank as they stood side-by-side in the living room just before everyone was due to arrive for dinner on Sunday and stared down at Jamie stretched out across the whole of the couch sleeping soundly with Kaylin doing likewise laying face down on his chest. The pair had stayed at the family home the night before at his father's insistence. "I thought you were supposed to come back from one of those fancy spa resort places feeling refreshed and invigorated. What do you think they did out there?"

"Pop!" Frank admonished as he pulled his father away and into the kitchen. "I'm sure that's none of our business!"

"Oh relax, Francis," his father tutted. "Don't be a prude. We all wondered the same thing about you when you came home from those little 'business weekends' you took," he emphasized with air quotes, "when you met up with that reporter lady… Kelly? I dunno which one, there were a lot of Kelly's. You must have a thing for that name," he grumbled.

"You knew?!"

"Of course. We all did. No one in this family has a good poker face except me. At least Jamie didn't even try to hide it when he walked in the door last night. I never saw your son flash such a big smile before in his whole life."

"He was happy to see Kaylin."

"Yeah sure, whatever you need to tell yourself, Francis," Henry gruffed as he stepped over to the oven to check on the chicken and stir one of the side dishes that was simmering on top of the stove.

"Hello, hello," Linda greeted as she walked through the back door, followed closely by the boys and Danny carrying a birthday cake and a brown paper bag.

"Quiet," Henry motioned with a nod towards the living room. "The kids are both taking a nap on the sofa in there. The weekend really wiped them out."

"So how did it go?" she asked excitedly as she tiptoed over to the doorway to peek. "I was hoping he would have a good time with Eddie!"

"Judging from what we've seen... a home run," the elder Reagan answered snidely knowing full well he was making his own son squirm. "Probably lots of them."

"Enough!" Frank sighed, tremendously uncomfortable with the direction the whole dinner conversation was headed. As if it wasn't bad enough they were talking about his baby boy, his own father was leading the charge with all of his not-so-subtle innuendo. There was just something unsettling with that whole situation. "So what's in the bag, Danny?" he asked, hoping to steer things another way.

"Nothing you'd want to know about," his older son grinned with evil intent as he stepped into the dining room and pulled out an oversized garishly embellished foil-wrapped bulk bundle to leave on top of Jamie's plate. "Just a little payback I had done up with a big red bow to make sure my little brother had something to remember me by, especially after the stunt he pulled in my squad the other day. I did promise to protect him when he was born after all, and it looks like he's gonna need a lot of that right now or he'll catch up to me with two kids in no time flat."

"Oh, God," Frank muttered as he realized just how far off the rails this dinner was going to go.

###

"Bless us, O Lord, and these Thy gifts, which we are about to receive from Thy bounty, through Christ our Lord. Amen."

Jamie's ears were still glowing bright red from embarrassment after he'd had to explain to Kaylin in front of everyone that the pretty present left at the table by her uncle Danny wasn't something she could play with. The gesture did have the effect of evening the score between the two brothers and judging from the smirks exchanged between them, the latest dispute was now settled and the slate wiped clean, at least for now.

"So how did everything go at work this week?" Frank asked intently with clear purpose as the snickering had yet to die down at the table and he desperately wished to eat in some semblance of peace. "Erin?"

"Fine," she remarked before losing it with a giggle and waving her knife around and putting her other hand up to her face as she buttered her bread. "I really drove home a lot of big convictions!"

Frank rolled an eye at her as he maintained a straight face while the whole table cracked up once more. Every other member of the family, except for the youngest children, was turning red trying to restrain themselves. "Danny?" he choked out. "What about that robbery crew? Any leads?"

"Oh, we're getting ready to nail them this week," the oldest brother said as his composure shattered and he covered his face with his hands, shaking with laughter as tears ran down his cheeks. "Jamie and his partner did all the legwork!" he added in a rush of words as the rest of the family broke out in a chorus of cackles leaving Sean to look around completely confused.

"I don't get it," he griped.

"For once your Uncle Jamie did!" Linda added as she couldn't resist but to contribute to the mayhem. The Reagans had not seen a Sunday dinner this boisterous in a very long time... not since Jamie had been the target once more as they'd discussed his penchant for swallowing things after he'd hidden a USB drive in that fashion before been beaten up in the parking lot by Johnny Tesla of the Sanfino era.

"Aunt Linda!" Nicki croaked out. "That wasn't very nice! You should try to be more uplifting!"

For his part, Jamie just kept his head down and took it this time, unable to look up at anyone and completely consumed by the state of silliness he found himself in... marvelling at how once again he was finding this kind of laughter cleansing for the soul. The final coup de gras was struck by his own grandfather though as he slapped him on the back.

"It's okay, son" Henry said. "You're doing a good job considering you're the butt of all of these jokes. I just thought I would slip that in there, I know how hard it is!" With that, the entire room lost control once more, even Frank, and Jamie gave immediate thanks to heaven above that Eddie had not been here to witness any of this as he put his head down on the table in defeat.

It was well past the main course and almost time for dessert featuring Jamie's birthday cake before anything resembling a true discussion could be had. By that time the boys had left the table and taken Kaylin to play in the sunroom for a few minutes while Linda and Nicki had gone out in the kitchen to put the candles on and get the plates and ice cream.

"So seriously now," Frank asked as he wished to address the tension he had seen between Jamie and one of the senior NYPD legal consultants. "What was with the look you gave Paul Denison when you got out of the elevator at my office the other day?" he questioned. "He's one of Chuck Miller's top men."

"He's a complete fraud, Dad," Jamie answered bluntly as the mention of that man wiped away any of his humor. "He didn't even know the case law behind that major marijuana grow house warrant that went bad, and you and DCLM Miller are trusting him on the Michael's wrongful injury lawsuit? The department's gonna take the hit for the full fifteen million they are asking for, if not more. I guarantee you."

"What do you know about that?" Erin asked her brother. "I heard it's a pretty cut and dried case since Philip Michael's RMP didn't have any signs of damage and his patrol logs show he wasn't in the area when the hit and run occurred. The plaintiff Alan Dutton can't prove that he was struck and injured so severely on a dark street by any NYPD patrol car, let alone Michael's."

"We don't know what his patrol logs show," Jamie countered. "You're taking Denison's word on that. George discovered they're missing from my platoon's file when I had him do inventory to put the information in a database, and it was Michael's own uncle Jimmy that was the Sergeant in charge at that time. We're missing two full months of paper on the kid and I've gotten the distinct feeling that it's a deliberate cover-up. No one at legal would pull the logs for me either when I asked. I really need George to look at them. He'll be able to tell right off if something is wrong with those numbers. Now you throw Denison into the mix… I'm telling you something stinks," Jamie insisted.

"So this is what you were talking about when you said you had more to worry about at the 3-5 than George when we argued that one day?" Danny mused. "You're looking into corruption in your precinct… why didn't you come to Dad with this before?"

"There's nothing to prove if I'm right," Jamie insisted. "And I haven't really purposefully looked into anything. I would have never even come up with any of this if George hadn't found it. I was just trying to straighten out the mess Sergeant Michael left when I was hung up on desk duty with my shoulder. Running into Dension at 1PP was just dumb luck. I know there's something up, I just don't know how deep it runs or what's really going on."

"And you think if you see those logs you'll be able to come up with it?" Frank pried. He was beginning to get that uneasy feeling back about this as it was the second such concern Jamie had brought up about the same division after having pointed out to his father that in his opinion the budget projection numbers were off for legal and disability. Still, DCLM Miller had cleared all of that up and seemed to have every confidence in this Denison fellow.

"If I can't, George will," Jamie replied confidently.

"Well then I'll see to it you get a copy of those papers tomorrow," Frank assured, "if I have to walk into legal and pull them out of the file myself. Until then, none of this leaves the table," he advised.

Any further discussion was immediately quashed as Kaylin rushed back into the room and eagerly jumped on Jamie's lap, waving the beach pictures she had looked at with Erin the day before.

"Oh, where did you get those, sweetness?" Jamie laughed as he flipped through them, remembering the good times he always had with his friend Spencer over the holidays and suddenly figuring out exactly how he was going to top the best secret rendezvous birthday kidnapping date ever.

"Auntie Erin!" the little girl shouted as looked at the photos with interest again. "When you were s'eeping," she added as she pointed to Frank and Henry, "and scary like growl'in bears!"

"S'eeping and scary like growl'in bears…" Jamie mused as his eyebrow rolled between his father and grandfather. "Care to explain, gentlemen?" he inquired as he pursed his lips and held the little girl protectively on his lap.

"No, I have no idea what she's talking about," Frank said as he quickly stood up and took his coffee cup. "Kids say the darndest things sometimes, don't they? What an imagination… such vivid details from that child. I'm going into the kitchen to see what the girls are up to and check on the cake. Anyone need a refill?"

"I think you might need some help," Henry said as he hurriedly followed after him.

"Erin?" Jamie inquired and then laughed out loud when she pulled the pictures up on her phone and slid it over for him to see.

"There's video too," she offered with a smirk. "With sound."

"Priceless," he commented back. "You're set for life."

"I wanna go to the beach to see 'pence and build 'astles!" Kaylin shouted. "P'ease Jammie!"

"We are going to do just that, baby girl. I promise you, but I've got some plans to make first," Jamie assured, not knowing at that point most of the light-hearted fun was over and a drastic series of events had been just set in motion that would threaten not only his word but Kaylin's place in the family while making that trip all but impossible.

* * *

 _Yup, it's been a little while since I threw a good cliffy in. The tables are about to turn in many directions for the Reagans and it's Frank and Eddie who will feel the heat first with_ _a public revelation that makes Garrett's head spin a bit as we get back to all the action._


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

"This is a disaster, Frank!" Garrett exclaimed as he barged his way into the Police Commissioner's office without so much as a knock. Frank waved Abigail Baker's apology off as she quickly stood to follow him in. She mouthed an "I'm sorry," anyway before turning on her heel to leave the room and close the door.

"Have you seen these?" the DCPI continued as he began to throw copies of the morning papers onto Frank's desk one at a time. All of them had led with various headlines above the fold, but also contained an extra large photo of Frank himself dressed in his dark suit and favored sunglasses holding Kaylin's hand as he led her out of the daycare on Friday and placed her in the car seat in the back of Jamie's black Mustang before driving off. "You couldn't have had someone else pick her up?" Garrett fumed. "Let's see, there's 'Baby Granddaddy,' from the _Times,_ 'Babysitter in Chief' from the _Daily News,_ and my all-time favorite," he finished with a flourish and a final fling of the last issue, "is the _Post_ with 'Grand Poo-bah'! in their biggest possible font!"

"Are you finished now?" Frank responded calmly. Of course he'd seen all the papers already and had envisioned his DCPI's reaction pretty much down to the last syllable, including his top pick for clever copywriting. "Drop Gary a note over at the _Post_ and congratulate him for having the most original lead in; that one's pretty good."

"Seriously!" Garrett replied, astounded at his boss's tempered take on the situation. Usually attacks on his family by the press were the one sure way to get Frank Reagan's blood to boil. "They're gonna hit you every which way with this at our scheduled press conference later this morning!"

"Oh, come on!" Frank admonished as he sat back in his chair and straightened his glasses. "It's not like they caught me walking out of a bar with a three-bit hooker on my arm. I was picking up a two-year-old little girl from daycare in my son's car, and she was properly buckled in her seat. Story at eleven!"

"It _is_ a big story, Frank," Garrett insisted. "I told you and Jamie that it was a bad idea to try to keep Kaylin's situation out of the press the first weekend when he gave that interview. Now it looks like we were trying to cover something up. Single dad. Police Commissioner's son. Unusual court exemption. It all looks like he received special consideration because of his last name and now they are digging up all they can on his relationship with Office Janko!"

"Extension, not exemption," Frank corrected. "And Jamie's already completed all of his required courses and paperwork for foster parent status and has filed for permanent adoption papers. I know that he was worried about that social worker leaking all of this to the press in some kind of an attempt to show him as unfit, but I've already spoken to him this morning and calmed him down. If Ms. Adams is behind this, it's going to backfire on her in every way possible," he vowed. "You just let me handle the questions on this today," Frank assured as he moved the papers off his desk. "This is in my wheelhouse and it's all the better that it's come out and the attack is on me. The sooner this is in the clear, the faster Jamie and Eddie can get on with their relationship and I won't look like I'm defending anyone but myself now."

"Except for Eddie," Garrett reminded. "I guarantee that her father's status is going to come up. I'm already fielding calls about it. The shelf life of all this will get extended as soon as it gets out that the PC's son is dating the daughter of a felon. I don't think you understand the ramifications of all of this. The only reason it didn't come up before is because we clamped everything down with one interview and Faith agreed to let it go at the time."

"Oh, I understand," Frank acknowledged as he thought with regret about that wrinkle in this whole business. "I just hope she's strong enough to hold it all together until this blows over," he admitted. "Now I need to walk down to legal and drop in on Chuck Miller. There's a few things I have to talk to him about. I'll be back in plenty of time to prep for the press conference. You just stick to reviewing our other topics."

###

"Eddie, c'mon I know you're in there!" Jamie called as he pounded on her apartment door. Since everything had already broken loose in the papers early that morning he didn't feel the need to hide their relationship anymore although he had still been careful to drop Kaylin off with Mrs. Henderson before coming over so as to avoid exposing the little girl to anything more before his father was able to address it publicly and while the press was still in their witch hunt mode. He had been able to avoid the news vans already set up outside of his apartment when he left this morning, but a few were sitting here on this block. Jamie knew their targets were now likely set on Eddie and her phone was either turned off or she was letting all the calls go directly to voicemail, including his. "I'm not going anywhere!" he added defiantly as he turned and slid his back down the door and leaned against it to sit on the ground and wait. "You have to leave for work at the same time I do!"

Without warning, it opened abruptly, and he found himself laying flat on his back in the entryway, staring up backwards at bed-head frizzy blond hair and a very puffy-eyed upside down frowny face as he had taken to calling that look for Kaylin.

"Oh God, Ed, you're so beautiful in the morning," he quipped, nearly earning himself a well-deserved concussion as she threatened to slam the door back on his head before turning around to go back and plop down on the couch with a sob.

"Aw, come on... don't cry, please?" he pleaded as he got up and went to sit next to her, careful to maintain a respectful space before she invited him closer.

"Did you read them?" she asked with big tears welled up in her eyes.

"The articles? No... well I just scanned one," he admitted truthfully. "I talked to Dad," he offered. "He already had a press conference scheduled for later this morning and he's gonna address this, especially since it was directed at him mostly. We knew it was going to happen at some point though, Ed. I'm honestly surprised that no one followed up on this after that first interview I gave, but they all dropped the ball for some reason… too much focus on the rescue I guess. Maybe it's for the best so we can get this cleared up instead of running around and hiding from it. If anyone can get up there in front of the cameras and squash this, it will be Dad... and he's really pissed."

"Tomorrow's version is going to be all about _my_ dad though," she said softly. "I've already had like a hundred calls asking about him and what it's like for the daughter of a felon to be dating the son of the city's top cop… like I'm not good enough for you."

"Eddie, honey, please don't listen to those people. It's their job to make stuff like this up to sell papers. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me and my family loves you," Jamie said as he slid over closer to her and put his arm around her shoulders. "I know this sucks and I hate that it's brought up so many bad memories and feelings for you, but like I told you before, none of that reflects on who you are, not to us."

"It does for other people though, doesn't it? I mean what my dad did wasn't a complete secret, but not everyone had to know about it. Now every cop at the precinct… even the checkout lady down at the market will ask about it. I went so many years trying to hide from this and now it's gonna be front page news again, and that's not even the worst part of it. Wait until they use it against you with Kaylin… you'll hate me then too. Just like everyone else who my dad screwed. I know it!"

"That's not gonna happen, Ed," Jamie said firmly as he pulled her around and nudged her chin up to look in her eyes. "I need you… I can't do this alone. I don't want to. This Adams woman picked the wrong person… the wrong family to come up against. I promise. She made another huge mistake bringing my father into this, maybe she thought if he was the target it would be harder to pin this back on her. I know she's behind it and will fight her tooth and nail for Kaylin if I have to. In the meantime I'm gonna keep going along and collecting the evidence I need to make sure we win and make her sorry that she brought all of this on us. But you're strong… we're stronger together and I need you to be there for me too. We're just going to have to lean on each other for a little while to get through this, okay? Do you really regret getting involved with me because of what's happened?"

"Of course not," she exclaimed. "None of this is your fault!"

"Right back at you, kid," he said as he kissed the top of her messy head. "Now how about we go and find some of that french vanilla shampoo I love so much and get you in the shower? If you're gonna end up in the paper anyway, I want you looking good, lambchop. Right now you might crack a lens."

He laughed as a throw pillow came crashing down on his head faster than he could blink. His feisty Eddie was still in there and she'd need some of that spunk to make it through the next few weeks.

###

The conference room at 1PP was notably quiet as Police Commissioner Frank Reagan strode confidently to the podium with a stern look on his face as Garrett nervously moved over to the side. He had been in situations like this before and he was never quite sure which way his boss would take things. He prayed that today it would not be towards opening up an entirely new can of worms to deal with. On the published schedule were items regarding the armed robbery spree that Danny was working on as well as an uptick of muggings near Washington Square Park. First and foremost though, there was the elephant in the room to address.

"I know I usually don't give credence to personal attacks against me or my family in the papers, but today I'll take a few minutes to answer your questions regarding the information published this morning so we can put this to bed," Frank offered evenly. "Yes, my son, Jamison, is currently fostering the child he saved from the car after the accident at the bridge. When she was orphaned, and the named guardian was unable to care for her, he felt a strong connection and wanted to do the right thing and see to it that she had a good home. As part of the process he applied for an extension through the court that allowed him to foster her while he completed the necessary requirements, which he has done... Melony," he called out after glancing out at the middle rows.

"Commissioner, isn't it unusual for a single man to foster a child?" she asked.

"Not if they meet the criteria and have a strong family support system." he replied. "There are over 20,000 children currently in the New York State foster system, with an average wait time of two years in custody for even the youngest. Would you begrudge any one of them the chance at a good home before that if one is found?" he demanded. "My son is an exceptionally responsible adult and the child's named guardian approved the placement. Jamie intends to follow through and adopt this little girl. She's proven to be a delight to our whole family and we love her as one of our own already... Mathew," he sighed, already anticipating the question that would come from this man.

"I have it on good authority that your so-called responsible son is involved with Edit Janko, his former partner and daughter of a known felon, are you concerned about that, especially with a child in the picture now?" the long-time reporter asked smugly. Garrett winced, he had hoped Frank would have been smart enough to avoid that obvious trap. The headlines would practically write themselves for the rest of the week.

The Commissioner had instead chosen to bring this issue to the forefront in order to get a specific message out to the right party as the lights flashed and he looked squarely into the camera. "No," he answered firmly. "It means I'm doing my job protecting this city if it's such a slow news day that the press is focused on the fact that my son is adopting an orphan or seeing an upstanding young lady and decorated NYPD officer like Edit. What I do have concerns with is that someone may have purposely violated the sanctity of this child's sealed court records, and I assure you if that's found to be the case, they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Next topic," he ordered as he pursed his lips. Ms. Adams had just been put on notice.

* * *

 _So Eddie will find herself uncomfortably under the spotlight for a bit and Jamie is going to discover that there's going to be repercussions after he and George continue to kick over some rocks between the two Michaels and Denison._


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

"Reagan, just what the hell do you think you're up to pulling those files from legal?!" Sergeant Jimmy Michael snarled as he shoved Jamie hard back up against the row of lockers while one of his men stood guard outside of the doorway to keep the room clear. "You trying to make me look bad, are you? Just keep your effing privileged nose out of my business!" he ranted.

"Just what business is that, Jimmy?" Jamie countered coldly as he shrugged off the other man's measured attack and stood back up, shoulders squared and eyes set defiantly. Michael was at least four inches taller and outweighed him by sixty pounds but he wasn't concerned that anything was going to go any further physically between the two of them in the precinct's own locker room; this was strictly about intimidation and wasn't going to work. "I'd like to know why those files were missing in the first place, and exactly how would you know anything about a request at 1PP like that already?"

"You just watch yourself," the older man threatened in a low voice. "You haven't been here long enough to come up against me and that nameplate you're wearing isn't gonna do you one damn bit of good! You don't run this house like your daddy did. I do! Just remember that!" he added as he turned and walked out of the locker room, pausing to slam the door for emphasis.

Jamie had a sudden flashback to the words of John O'Doul regarding the 3-5 precinct that he'd given in the bar on the night of the sergeant's exam, which already seemed like an eternity ago after all that had happened since.

" _It's a good house… lot of tradition there, just keep an eye out for the old guard. Some of them don't take too kindly to change, if you know what I mean, and your nameplate will give them a target to focus on, especially with your old man's history there," John had added as he'd held his eye. "Just watch your six, son."  
_  
"I'll watch my six," Jamie muttered to himself as he reached for his Kevlar vest and pulled it on. "And I'll be watching yours too, Jimmy Michael, until I figure out what you are up to," he vowed as the rest of his uniform followed suit, complete with his gold badge, utility belt and gun. The fact that Michael had known so soon about those records being pulled could only mean he had a strong contact over in legal as Frank had assured his son when they spoke the day before that he would keep the inquiry quiet if possible. That meant that the older sergeant was connected with someone very high up in that division and Jamie would have bet the farm in that moment that it was either the Assistant Chief Paul Denison, or the outside chance maybe DCLM Chuck Miller himself. Knowing the family's connection to the Deputy Commissioner, that thought was troubling as Jamie slammed his locker door and turned to go back to his office to prepare the briefing for the afternoon's roll call.

"Tonight we'll have an average real-feel temperature of fifty degrees," Jamie announced as he reviewed his officers prior to the start of their swing tour. "We've had numerous reports over the past few weeks of break-ins and trespassing complaints from that revitalization construction site called Bridgewater Square off of Amsterdam near the North Croton Aqueduct. That's on the border of our territory with the 12th and both precincts will be increasing the number and frequency of patrols in that area. There are three separate four-story buildings on the six acre property that are being converted from factory space to multi-unit luxury loft apartments… that means a lot of equipment in trailers and other high value targets like copper piping for thieves. The construction company has already had two night guards attacked there in the last month. I want careful attention paid during each pass through if that's your assigned area. Report anything out of the ordinary and call a second unit for backup before going in. Let's get these guys caught so the project can get wrapped up and occupied. That's it for tonight. Keep your eyes open and have a safe tour everyone."

"You got a minute, kid?" a familiar gruff voice stopped Jamie in his tracks as he was getting set to follow George out to the car to after the rest of the platoon had filed out of the room. He turned around to find Danny and Maria Baez walking up the hall behind him.

"Yeah, sure," he nodded and motioned towards his office as he was about to instruct his trainee to go out and prep the RMP.

"The rookie too," his brother added curtly as he and Maria made their way inside and sat down in front of the desk.

"Okay, you heard them, George," Jamie sighed as he waved his partner into the room after the two detectives and closed the door behind them all. "Now what's this about?" he directed at Danny as he pulled his chair out and sat back.

"We took the information you gave us on Friday about Randall Simpson from West Side Financial to the DA and the best we could do was a limited scope warrant for his client list. If we take that in there and serve him tomorrow we might end up building a case up against him eventually, but that's not gonna give us the three guys that are out there actually committing the robberies anytime soon and might put them in the wind before we can track them down retail. They're wanted for the murder of Mr. Hooper and aggravated assault against that other salesperson that pulled through after being pistol whipped the other week." Danny explained.

"We were hoping to set them up instead, so we can get them all in one fell swoop," Maria continued. "Take one of the stores from an insurance agency that utilizes Simpson and have them fax over an order manifest that would trigger his interest so we could sit on that site and wait for them to come to us on the day they think the delivery is coming in."

"Smart," Jamie agreed, "but why are you here?"

"Your rookie…" Danny started.

"George," Jamie insisted with a little wry smirk. He knew exactly why his brother had a difficult time calling the young officer by his first name... doing that acknowledged his right to be included.

"Pardon me, _George,_ " Danny emphasized with a roll of his eyes, knowing that his little brother was enjoying the chance officially to yank his chain a little, "is the only one that seems to understand his system for deciphering it… that's why we could only get the limited scope warrant. The DA thought it would be too hard to show it as cause in court… too much math mumbo-jumbo for an average juror to understand. We need him to figure out what store and merchandise list is needed for the bait so we can put it out there. Can he do that?"

Jamie looked up at his young partner who nodded. "He can, on the condition that it goes down in the 3-5 territory during my shift. If we're gonna take this crew out my guys are going to be the ones to back you up and get the credit."

"Wearing stripes for only a couple of months, and already playing hardball with a pair of senior detectives to make his precinct numbers look good," Danny said shaking his head. "Renzulli taught you well. He'll have you bucking for lieutenant before too long. You've got a deal, kid. Now let's get these bastards before they hit somewhere else."

"Officer Mahoy, you heard Detective Reagan. Let's give them what they need," Jamie ordered with a smile. The 3-5 was going to show a marked improvement in every category under his command by the time he was called down to his first CompStat review at 1PP next month, of that he was sure, and the following weekend would see them do their best to take the softball crown away from the 12th. There was a team atmosphere being built here, and he had indeed learned well from Renzulli as well as the rest of the men in the Reagan family over the years.

###

"So you could have warned me I'd be riding with a celebrity today," Wilson had chided as he got in the driver's seat of the RMP at the 12th while Eddie slid in the other side amid the flashes of cameras going off. "I would have stopped for a touch up with the stylist on the way in. My wife would want me to look good, you know… and now we're not gonna be able to have a donut at break time for weeks without some yahoo whipping out their camera and trying to sell the shot to the papers. You owe me, Janko!" he griped. "I like pastries with my coffee sometimes! It shouldn't be seen as a crime against humanity!"

"Please don't joke about this," Eddie said sullenly as she slouched down and buckled herself in. "It's not funny." Despite Jamie's assurances, and a little fun had in the shower to break the tension, it had taken everything for her not to bang in sick and hide in her apartment for the next week.

"Oh no!" Wilson barked as he glanced sideways. "We're not going all gloomy in here again, not after we just took care of getting your boots scuffed a little over the weekend. This is one of those perks that comes with dating the boss's youngest, and you've got to look at it that way. Flash a smile and wave, Janko," he added as he pulled the car past the throng of reporters gathered on the corner. "It'll all be over in a week or so and you'll want to look good when you end up plastered on every news stand. Not everyone has the opportunity to get ready for something like that."

"God, you sound just like Jamie!" she snapped. "It's not your family business that's gonna get dug up for the whole world to see again!"

"Yeah, but once it's out it will be done with, right? There's nothing new to add, except that you're dating a Reagan and he's adopting a kid. Big whoop. Didn't you see the PC's press conference on the news at lunch? He really backed you, Eddie. Stood up in front of the whole city and called you an upstanding young lady and a decorated cop. That's how you have to look at yourself too. He's got the bit in his teeth over this now and if there was one man I'd want in my corner, it would be him. You'll be fine. You're not that scared little girl with no friends anymore… you've got one of the most powerful families in the whole state standing behind you."

Eddie stopped to think about that. No one had ever gone to the mat in that fashion for her publicly before, let alone someone of the stature of Frank Reagan. He obviously approved of her relationship with Jamie or he wouldn't have actively participated in setting up their weekend rendezvous she reasoned. All the Reagans had… maybe Wilson was right, she wasn't alone anymore. There was one thing that still twisted her stomach though, and that was the thought of them losing the other little girl that was affected by all of this. That just couldn't happen… and if it did it would be over Jamie's dead body, of that she was sure.

Eddie had no idea at that point in time how prophetic her own thoughts might be.

* * *

 _Ooh, so where's the danger going to come from next? The robbery crew? Denison or one of the Michaels? Next up, Danny and Baez's trap is set courtesy of George's help but things don't go exactly as planned and the rookie's phobias may come back into play as he faces his first big test as an NYPD officer._


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

"So do you think they're going to hit today or was this all just a big waste of time?" Maria griped on Thursday as she and Danny continued to sit on the small family-owned jewelry store on the first block of Elm. The regular staff had been replaced with undercover operatives and there was a tactical team set up in a nondescript van around the corner. The supposed high value delivery had been made by a visibly armed courier service more than an hour ago, and there was still no sign of their targets as late afternoon waned into the darkening evening. Jamie's platoon was currently on patrol and had been alerted to keep clear of the area until signaled.

"They'll show," Danny replied confidently with a small smirk on his face. "What? You got a hot date with that guy from narcotics tonight? I've seen him, you're not missing much," he kidded.

Just before six, the moment everyone was waiting for suddenly looked promising as a white van was spotted circling the block several times before pulling up to the curb just down the street.

"Here we go. Everyone stay in place until they make their move," Danny cautioned over the radio as they watched as two white males exited the van while the driver kept it running. The pair quickly approached the store and pulled on masks before entering the building with guns drawn and lengths of metal pipe in their other hands to use to smash the cases. Two flashes were seen from inside as one of the perps panicked when met with armed resistance and an undercover officer returned fire, striking the first robber in the arm and taking him down into custody.

Danny and Baez had exited their car and were moving in on the van when the second suspect managed to duck and fling himself at the store's front door, smashing the glass with his pipe before crawling through and raising his gun at the detectives. He pulled the trigger twice, striking the windows of the car Maria was ducking behind and causing glass shards to fly into her face. She dropped to the ground with a hand over her cheek as Danny returned fire while the man dove back into the van's open side door. The driver managed to avoid the backup team trying to block his escape by pulling the vehicle up on the sidewalk and gunning the motor to head straight towards Danny, who was forced to roll himself over the hood of a parked car to avoid being struck. "Damn it!" he cursed as the van careened back onto the street and took off straight down Elm with an unmarked NYPD car in pursuit. "Maria! Are you okay? Talk to me!" he yelled as he regained his feet and reached for his radio.

"I don't know… Danny I'm cut! I can't see out of my eye!" Baez cried as her bloodied hand came away from her face and her vision on that side blurred red.

"Central, this is 5-4 Detective Reagan requesting 10-85 backup. We have a white van with two armed suspects heading straight down Elm towards Amsterdam with one undercover team in pursuit. I've got one suspect under at our location and one detective down with facial injuries! Roll two busses forthwith!" he yelled as he kneeled down next to his partner, grimacing at the two deep cuts apparent on her face, both bleeding heavily… one above and below her left eye. "Hang on," he advised as he pulled a clean white handkerchief out of his pocket and pressed it up against her. "You're all right… it looks like more than it is. I've nicked myself worse shaving in the morning," he said as he tried to comfort her while frowning and throwing a scowl down the street in the direction the van had disappeared. "Damn it! You better get these guys, kid!" he spat as he slammed his hand up against the car, leaving a red smear.

Jamie, meanwhile had positioned his officers in a grid pattern in that area. When the call came in regarding the fleeing white van down Elm, he set them in motion and three converged as the speeding suspects hung an ill-advised hard right onto Amsterdam while running a red light and sideswiping two eastbound pickup trucks hard as they desperately tried to escape. The pursuing undercover car from Danny's squad was likewise unable to make a clean turn now with the added obstacles and rammed hard into the rear of one of the already damaged vehicles.

"3-5 Adam, stay on this scene and check those victims!" Jamie ordered as he pulled his own RMP in behind the van as it streaked down the avenue towards the river with heavy damage on the left side as one more squad car fell into place behind him. "Central, 3-5 Sergeant, be advised we have an MVA 10-53 at the corner of Elm and Amsterdam. 10-85 roll additional units and three busses. 12-Sergeant, they're coming your way!" he warned Renzulli who had also been put on alert earlier. "God, I hope they don't try that turn at the river," he muttered to George who had braced himself up against the dash as his sergeant floored it and closed the gap. "I'm sure as hell not jumping off any bridge for these guys," he vowed as he watched Walsh and Righetti pull out of a side street in an attempt to cut the van off as the driver made a last-ditch effort to avoid them and swerved left, jumping the curb while crashing through the chain-link perimeter fencing for the Bridgewater Square construction project and sliding head-on into a tree. Five squad cars convened to form a half circle behind the van, illuminating it in the waning light of heavy dusk as Renzulli and Evans arrived along with Eddie and Wilson. All the officers exited their vehicles with their guns drawn and trained on the van.

"NYPD! Put your weapons down and show us your hands!" Jamie shouted in warning as the entire group advanced as a unit.

"We have a runner!" Walsh yelled as a shadowy figure exited the sliding door on her side and disappeared amid the maze of trailers and equipment nearby.

"Central, 12-Sergeant. Be advised we have one armed suspect on foot in the construction project at Amsterdam and Bridge Street. 10-85 requesting three additional units to cover the north side of this area and K9 at our location. Suspect is armed and dangerous," Renzulli barked into his radio before turning to shout. "Reagan! What do you have?"

"Driver! Show us your hands!" Jamie demanded again as he and George closed in on the front of the van's left side. He leveled his gun at the window as he came around to find the man bloodied and lying still across the steering wheel. "He's down!" Jamie advised the rest of the officers. "Patterson, Richards! Call a bus and stay with him," he ordered the other 3-5 team as he quickly made his way around to the other side of the vehicle to confer with Renzulli.

"This place is gonna be a nightmare to search in the dark," the older sergeant observed as he eyed the multitude of hiding spots spread across the large property. The lights of three more RMPs illuminated the opposite side of the project as the additional cars pulled into position. "Central, 12-Sergeant, have those units hold their position on the north perimeter. We're going to sweep from the south," he shook his head at the situation. "I don't like this Jamie. Too easy for him to hide and get behind us. Maybe we should wait for the dogs. He's pinned in there unless he goes over the fence."

"I think we need to press him, Sarge," Jamie disagreed. "We can't cover the whole perimeter without light and there have been too many reports of people on the property. That fence is not secure. Let's leave a unit here to watch our backs and at least go in and check the buildings. The ground's muddy and we should be able to see if he's run in and gotten access anywhere. If we can keep him out in the open it'll be easier for K9 to find him."

"Alright," Renzulli agreed. "Walsh, you and Righetti stay here and cover this breach to make sure he doesn't double back. Wilson, Janko… take the unit to the right. Evans and I will go to the middle… and Reagan…"

"Mahoy and I have the left closest to the river, Sarge," Jamie agreed. "George and I walked through this site on Wednesday for a security review. There's no electric in the buildings at this point, only generator power. The insides are gutted down to the studs and the ground-level floors have been newly excavated since they have to re-pour some of the footers and add egress points to meet code. There are propane heaters that run on thermostats to keep just enough heat to prevent the pipes from freezing. Right now the only way in and out of the basements is through the main stairwell. If he's pinned down there, just sit on him and put your feet up… there's no other way out and the walls are heavy concrete."

"Got it?" Renzulli questioned his two teams. "Alright, let's move," he ordered as the six officers fanned out and moved through the area with guns and flashlights drawn as they advanced and methodically searched the zone ahead while approaching the buildings.

"Right structure clear," Eddie radioed after she and Wilson checked all the first floor doors and windows, finding them securely locked with no signs of anyone gaining access.

"Middle building clear," Renzulli echoed as he and Sam likewise found no evidence of their quarry.

"I've got muddy footprints on the steps and a breached back door on the left," Jamie alerted quietly. "Cover the side entrances, Mahoy and I are going in," he added over the radio before turning to his rookie. "Okay, George. Just like you've trained since day one. Stay behind me and watch my back. We're going to go in there and see if we can flush him out. Right?" Jamie ignored the alarmed look that crossed George's face and pressed on. He knew that he was seriously testing the newbie by taking him into something like this in an unfamiliar, dark space but he had to know if the young officer had what it took to back up his partner in an intense situation otherwise George Emery Mahoy was about to find himself immediately relegated to a permanent desk position or ousted into another line of work entirely. The time had come for his right of passage.

"Let's go," Jamie whispered as he opened the door and cleared the right quadrant, relieved that George had immediately followed and covered the left just as he was supposed to do. A quick glance at the floor with their lights showed a trail of wet mud ascending on the center stairs.

"He's upstairs," George muttered in relief. He was doing his very best to gut his way through this trial and prove himself to his sergeant, the first authority figure that had ever shown even an iota of faith in his ability, but knew in his head that a trip into the enclosed space of the rough dark excavated basement they had viewed during their tour the other day would probably be asking too much for his already pounding heart no matter how much he wanted to come through for his partner.

"We don't know that for sure," Jamie advised in a low voice. "Don't ever assume. He could have doubled back and not left a trail by that point. George, you will stay right here with your back in this alcove and cover both sets of stairs and the door while I go up to see what I can find. Turn off your light and stay quiet. If he makes a break to come down you will stop him by any means necessary, understood?"

"Yes, sir," George affirmed with every bit of belief he could muster as his hands shook and palms started to sweat.

"Good, remember I'm counting on you," Jamie said as he moved off and quietly climbed to the next level, noting a small bit off mud fallen off to one side of the doorway on the second floor landing as he flashed his light around. The bare studded walls made for an easier search but he was careful to keep his back to something solid as he made his way down the hall and quickly looked through all possible hiding places while keeping his other senses sharp for any signs of the perp.

Downstairs in the dark, George managed to hear the soft creaking of the bare floorboards above him as Jamie proceeded across the space to the far end of the hall while the sound of his own blood rushing threatened to drown out everything else. He had never experienced such a surge of pure adrenaline in his whole life and he thought his heart might just stop altogether. _Please, dear God, wherever you are give yourself up without a fight,_ he prayed as he waited on edge for something to happen. Suddenly there was a scuffling sound with the echos of heavy footsteps running from the opposite side of the floor and approaching the stairs. "FREEZE! POLICE!" he shouted with every single smidgen of venom he could muster as he switched on and flashed the intense beam of his light upward while leveling his gun at the descending suspect, effectively blinding him. "DROP YOUR WEAPON _OR I WILL SHOOT YOU!"_ he bellowed with a deep authoritative voice that came from somewhere within and belied his age and stature while he meant every single word of it. All of those hours of academy training had kicked in and everything had been offered on autopilot. No one was more shocked than George when the man complied with his order and raised his hands as he dropped the piece and the gun bounced down the steps to the bottom of the landing while the sound echoed throughout the nearly empty building. "Turn around! On your knees and cross your feet! Hands on top of your head, fingers intertwined!" he gruffly followed up with as he advanced and kicked the gun out of reach without a conscious thought.

"Nice work, Mahoy!" Jamie grinned as he stood above on the top landing with his own weapon trained on the suspect and shook his head. The rookie had followed procedure and come through in spades. "Now cuff him, George! You've just made your first Class A felony collar!" he added as the man was quickly secured by the young officer. "3-5 Sergeant, Central" he barked into his radio. "We have the suspect under. All units be advised to stand down," he ordered with a note of pride evident in his voice.

Outside, Eddie heaved a deep sigh of relief with the knowledge that the perp was apprehended and everyone was safe as she and Wilson quickly made their way to the front of the far left building while Renzulli and Evans did the same. All were shocked to see George confidently leading the handcuffed man out through the doorway while Jamie followed behind with a broad smile on his face. "The rookie?" Renzulli asked in disbelief.

"Nailed him making a break down the stairs," Jamie confirmed. "Couldn't have done a better job myself," he added as he gave Eddie a wink on the way past. He knew she constantly worried about him riding with an inexperienced partner just as Danny did… an older brother he was sure would give birth to a figurative cow when he heard who would get the credit for this arrest. "His cuffs, his collar. Sorry Renzulli," he teased. "That's two really bad guys down for the 3-5 and one on the 5-4. Maybe you'll have better luck scoring in some of your games at the tournament this weekend. Looks like you've struck out here tonight."

"You just keep it up, Harvard," Renzulli growled as he shook his head and pursed his lips to hide a smile. He knew better than anyone how important this moment was for the young sergeant to prove himself to his men while making his bones at a new command. "I'm gonna make you polish that trophy for me in front of the whole squad, kid... just before I put it back up on my shelf next week!"

"Right back at you, Sarge," Jamie called over his shoulder. "Now George," he said as he slapped the young officer on his back while they continued to push the suspect on towards their car, "you'll be thanking me later for all those new paperwork skills when you get this guy processed and down to Central Booking before midnight. Your job's not over just yet… now comes the hard part," he laughed, relieved that a major test had been passed on all fronts tonight.

* * *

 _So who expected George to come through like that? Do you think there's hope for him to shine as an NYPD patrol officer, or was that just the first major hurdle he would find himself faced with? Next up, the results of the much anticipated softball battle between the 3-5 and the 12th are revealed and Eddie gets a little fatherly advice from Frank after a casual late Sunday dinner._


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

"All hail the conquering hero!" Henry cheered as he held the door open while his youngest grandchild piggybacked Eddie from the car up the steep steps in front of the family home late on Sunday afternoon. "It's not often someone on the losing team gets voted MVP for the whole tournament but you deserved it! What's the verdict on the ankle, slugger?"

"Just sprained," she admitted with a patented big frowny face as Jamie carefully set her down next to the couch in the living room and helped her sit back as he gently propped up her swollen wrapped foot on a fluffy soft pillow before dashing off to get some ice. "No thanks to the Derek Jeter wannabe over there. Now I can't drive and I'm gonna have to be on modified duty for over a week," Eddie whined. "At least I can lay low on desk duty legitimately now and Wilson will be able to go out and have his damn donuts again at break with another partner!" she added under her breath.

"Hey," Jamie defended with a grin as he returned from the kitchen with a big bag of frozen peas. "I'm not the one who thought she could steal second while her team was down a run with one out already in the bottom of the last inning," he added while Kaylin eagerly ran up to give her Eddie bear a tight hug.

"Thank you sweetie, and I needed to get in scoring position," Eddie insisted as she pulled the little girl into her lap. "Righetti was up to bat and I would have made it home to tie the game on that line drive if you hadn't leaped up in the air like you were channeling Michael Jordan to snag it and then come down to obstruct the base path… illegally I might add!" she sniffed indignantly.

"It wasn't obstruction," Jamie countered. "And a fielder is not obligated to get out of the way of a baserunner when the fielder is fielding or in possession of the ball. Besides, I caught that drive and you had to get back to first base or you were out on the double play anyway. I'm the one that ended up with cleat marks on my shin… you were trying to get me to drop the ball when you slid in high with clear intent to injure, Janko. I guess I'm lucky you only went for the knee. Any further up and…" all the men in the room gave an involuntary shudder, "you'd have been tossed out of the game for sure. Look it up in the rulebook on page…"

"When a fielder is fielding? Do you even hear yourself? Don't you _dare_ go quoting the baseball manual to me, Jamison Reagan," Eddie bristled as she gave him the evil eye, "or I'll have the whole top of the lineup from the 12th waiting for you outside your apartment tomorrow morning… with Renzulli's blessing I might add. Poor Sarge, they practically had to pry that trophy out of his hands at the end. You broke his heart, you traitor!"

"I thought it was a nice touch when the guys from the 3-5 presented him with that big fancy snow globe with the Yankees bobble head in it to take its spot on his shelf," Linda observed as she walked through the room.

"Yeah, but Renzulli is a Mets fan and Harvard here knows that!" Eddie griped as she reached over and threw the bag of peas back at Jamie's head.

"Truce!" Frank demanded with good humor as he pulled a tray out of the closet placed it next to the couch. "Plain or pepperoni?" he asked with a smile. "I'll warm it up for you, the rest of us ate while you were out getting x-rayed."

"Pepperoni," Eddie conceded. "Commissioner, I have to report that Sergeant Reagan refused to stop anywhere on the way over here to pick up an order of wings for the pain."

"Oh boy," Jamie sighed with a smirk as he threw his hands up in the air. "Grease is not an essential food group, Janko, and I'm never gonna hear the end of this. Stay here, Dad… maybe you can talk some sense back into her. I'll go warm up the pizza," he added as he picked Kaylin up and carried her out of the room to join the rest of the family in the kitchen.

"How about a drink if you're not on any medication," Frank offered. "Works better than wings every time."

"Thank you," Eddie accepted with a small smile. This was the first time she had ever been left alone in a room with Jamie's father since their first meeting and there was something important she had been meaning to say to him after the events that had recently unfolded. "Sir, I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciated what you said in that press conference at the beginning of the week. It really meant a lot…" she trailed off and looked away nervously. "No one, um, has ever stuck up for me like that before except for Jamie."

"Well," Frank started softly as he returned from the liquor cabinet with a pair of heavy tumblers and two fingers of single malt in each, "what I said was true, and there are no sirs in this house, Eddie… only Frank and Henry."

"Okay," she grinned as she accepted the drink and took a sip. "I'll try to keep that in mind, it's just easy to forget I guess with everything that went down with my dad. It's hard for me to face people sometimes after all the things I've heard our family called in private and in the papers. I just can't bear the thought of any of that coming between Jamie and Kaylin… I'd never forgive myself; it's just not fair to them," she added sadly.

"Or to you, Eddie," Frank stated. "You need to put those feelings in the past where they belong," he advised. "It's old news and you're a much stronger person than you were back then… you bring such joy to my son's life and this entire family now," he paused before adding another thought. " _Anyone can heal who believes that he can and will take the time to put that belief into motion,"_ he quoted. "Ernest Holmes."

"Now I can see exactly where Jamie gets it," Eddie admitted with a gleam in her eyes. "I thought all this time it was his Harvard peace, love and happiness liberal bleeding heart philosophy shining through, but it's not, sir… Frank," she corrected once more. "It's how he was raised. Thank you for welcoming me into your home despite all the baggage I've brought with me."

"Oh, don't give me too much credit," Frank laughed as he sat back in his comfortable chair and took another sip of his drink. "Don't forget I'm Danny's father too, and they don't come much further opposite than those two. Jamie was his mother's pride and joy," he mused as he glanced over at a picture of Mary on the bookcase. "If there's someone that influenced him the most, it was her… now how's that ankle feeling?" he smiled as he tactfully changed the weighty subject.

"Much better," Eddie admitted, tremendously relieved now that she had gotten that off her chest.

"Good!" Frank exclaimed with a mischievous smile. "Because Thanksgiving is coming up in just a few more weeks and if you really want to get even with Jamie, you need to be ready to go up against him in our annual flag football game. He might have some silly softball trophy to show off at the precinct now, but the annual Reagan Wishbone Bowl gives you bragging rights here for an entire year, and let's face it… that's what counts."

"Well, then I'll be ready for it," Eddie replied with her eyes shining as she took another sip from her glass. If someone had told her a few months ago that she'd be sitting in Frank Reagan's living room on a Sunday evening, sharing a scotch and plotting good-naturedly against his own son with him, she would have never believed it. Wilson had been right on all accounts, she had a family to stand behind her now.

Out in the kitchen, everyone else had filtered out into the sunroom to watch the end of a big football game. Jamie was absentmindedly pulling the pizza out of the warming oven while Kaylin was busy at the table having some milk and cookies when Danny walked in the back door. He had gone over to Baez's apartment to drop off some packaged home-made meals that Linda had cooked for his partner while she recovered. "You okay, kid?" the older brother asked as he glanced over puzzledly. "Thought you'd be on top of the world after the last few days."

"Yeah, I am," Jamie returned to the present with a small smile. "Sorry, I was just lost thinking about something I need to ask Dad. How's Maria?"

"Good, good," Danny assured. "Just a few cuts and scratches, no real damage to her eye. She's wearing a patch and taking a few days of sick leave but will be back in to work the desk for a couple of tours. The doc said she'll be all healed up soon with no scars."

"That's really great to hear. I was worried about her."

"Me too. What about Eddie?" Danny nodded towards the living room where the two of them could hear her and Frank talking and laughing. The whole Reagan family had been present at the championship game that afternoon and had seen what went down in the friendly but nonetheless intense competition. There was no missing the fact that Jamie had certainly met his match in a particularly feisty blond-haired young woman and none of them had any doubt that she would soon be a permanent addition to the family.

"Oh, um just a sprain," he answered. "Should be back good as new in a week or so." He was fidgeting with getting the plates down from the cabinet and his older brother could sense there was still a heavy question hanging in the air, especially when Jamie's eyes lit on the little girl sitting at the table.

"So what gives with you then, kid?" Danny pried as he walked over to Kaylin at the table and pretended to steal a cookie before handing it back over with a cheeky smile when she made a face at him. Although he still wasn't the first person she ran too, Uncle Danny had made great inroads with the little girl and she was no longer frightened of him.

"She's hurt, Danny," Jamie admitted quietly, referring back to the living room with a nod. "I mean I know it's kinda silly, and it's nothing major, but Eddie's hurt and I wanna be there to take care of her, you know, all the time and I still can't because of…"

"That Adams woman," Danny finished. "You really think she's gonna follow through and oppose the adoption?"

"Already has," Jamie answered. "She filed an evaluation with the court on Friday that I was entitled to review. Pulled out all the stops, even with Kaylin's positive report from the psychologist and what Dad said at the press conference… it had a lot of hurtful things about Eddie's family life. She really puts herself above the rules she wants everyone else to follow. God, Danny if Eddie ever had to read that or have it come out at a hearing, it would devastate her all over again. She's just getting to the point where she's starting to open up to our family and trust us… listen to her in there with Dad right now, I mean you don't understand what a big step that is for her. I want to make plans and do things now that we're finally..." he trailed off in frustration. "But I can't."

"Things like what?" Danny asked with a bit of a twinkle in his eye. He was a detective after all and even a blind man could see what Jamie was considering. "You want to ask Dad for Mom's ring again, don't you?" The silence as Jamie's shoulders shrugged and he turned away was answer enough. "So do it," he encouraged with a big smile. Danny had honestly been afraid that his little brother would never trust someone intimately like that again after what happened with Sydney, but he could see what a good fit Eddie made for him and it _was_ about time they got on with things after all of this waiting. "Well maybe you can't come out and actually do _it_ right away, not until this mess is settled with Kaylin, but you can have everything ready to go once it is… and trust me bro, you need to make it special… you can't just go hand her the same ring Sydney wore. Christ... Linda would have made me swallow hers if she found out I did something like that," he added quietly.

"Yeah?" Jamie questioned.

"You better believe it, kid," Danny answered in a low tone. "Now when's the earliest you can have this adoption finalized?"

"Mid-December," Jamie replied with a sigh, "that is if I can rebuke everything Adams comes up with... or as late as July if she really wants to be a witch. If things go bad it might not go through at all," he whispered with a bit of a panicked look over at the little girl at the table.

"Well that won't ever happen between you and Dad. I guarantee it... he'd go all Mafia don and make that woman disappear before anything would happen to Kaylin now. She's got him wrapped around her pinkie… total grandpa. Geez, Harvard… best-case scenario is only a little over a month away. What are you so bummed out about? That barely gives you enough time to get down to see Mr. Gillespie at his store and have a new setting made. Do I have to think of everything for you? Now get out there and take this pizza to her or she's gonna get suspicious for crying out loud. You really have no idea what you're doing with women..."

Jamie had to bite back a smile as he did as he was told while listening to Danny continue to mutter under his breath. It was somewhat surreal, but he had to admit it felt kinda good to have a heart-to-heart like this with his big brother… a conversation that would have automatically gone to Joe in another lifetime, or at the very least Erin… never in a million years would he have ever pictured this.

"Freaking kid thinks he's smart enough to run the entire NYPD, but can't figure out something like this out on his own… I swear to God I don't know what he would do without me…"

Across town there was another meeting being scheduled at that very moment to discuss Jamie's fate, but the outlook was not nearly as optimistic and the participants had no intention on letting him or George see the near future through with any semblance of a happy outcome.

* * *

 _Hmm, so there's a little collusion going on in the Reagan household, but who is plotting against them and what are their plans? If you've read "Follow Your Heart" you can probably guess the who, but the circumstances are different now... Jamie is not the only target, and he's distracted by other things so may not see it coming this time. Next up, the dominoes start to fall into place and the end of that trial starts to come into play._

 _Oh, and for those wondering, there are 41 total chapters in this one so we are just over a week away from the grand finale. :-)_


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

"So George, I know things were crazy last week with the big arrest and all but did you ever come up with anything when you entered that information from the missing log files I gave you?" Jamie asked as he downed a significant portion of yet another cup of industrial strength hot coffee… his fourth in the early morning hours. Somehow lately these third shift weeks seemed to take a harder toll on him than they ever did before, thanks in large part to a certain little girl that did not run on the same schedule and still had needs to be met at other hours of the day when he would have been sleeping otherwise. Corporate lawyers didn't work third shift regularly he grumbled to himself. Maybe that was something to consider at this point he thought half-heartedly.

"Oh, I meant to talk to you about that this weekend," George admitted, "but you were so excited about the softball tournament it slipped my mind. I put the numbers in, however at least half of them are false."

"False?"

"Yes. Someone just entered the same set of data multiple times over and over. There's no way that a patrol unit can go out and record the exact same distance each shift. Philip Michael was running exactly forty-two miles per tour sixty percent of the time those last two months," George explained, "and he consistently logged in only traffic summons on those days. Three each, to be precise," he added.

"But the odometer readings had to be correct, right?" Jamie reasoned. "Or whoever got the car after him would have noted the discrepancy." He nervously drummed his fingers on the desk. "So those tours in question he actually did drive the same distance each time, we just don't know what he was up to and where he went. We can assume it was always to the same place though because of the mileage."

"Correct."

"And we can't ask his former partner what he was doing because he's conveniently dead," Jamie mused. Officer Alvin Gibson had dropped over with an apparent heart attack the day after the supposed hit and run that was the subject of that big wrongful injury lawsuit and had Philip Michael jammed up and on permanent desk duty right now. The coroner had ruled it a natural death as Gibson had a long history of heart-related issues. "So whatever it was, Uncle Jimmy was covering for him and we would have never figured this out if you hadn't pulled all the data into that spreadsheet."

"Probably not, and I assume so, Sarge," George agreed. "But wouldn't the plaintiff in that lawsuit hire some kind of expert to go over evidence like this? I mean it would show tampering and would be good for their case."

"You are exactly right again, George," Jamie sighed. "And our esteemed NYPD legal counsel Mr. Paul Denison should have seen this outright and tried to settle instead of taking it through the court system if he was doing his job... which he obviously sucks at," he added with venom underneath his breath. "Unless he's getting something out of it."

"Pardon?"

"Oh, ah nothing. It's just all speculation on my part unless it's actually used as part of the proceedings," Jamie explained. The trial was not set to open until the first week of December, just over three weeks away and there would be no way to prove Denison was up to anything if he didn't actually pull something out of bounds. It didn't make sense for him to cover for Philip Michael like this unless they were connected in some way, but what did the high-priced lawyer from 1PP have in common with a nondescript five-year patrol officer from the 3-5 and his old-school corrupt cop uncle Jimmy?

"Let's take a ride over to the 12th, I need to talk to Renzulli," Jamie said as he got up and grabbed his coat. The weather had taken a definite turn this week and had grown far colder. Consistent temperatures under freezing had started to harden the ground and the extended outlook was for more of the same with the likelihood of extreme weather patterns for the rest of the winter. Jamie always felt sorry for the people forced to live and work out in the open during seasons like this and he knew that they would see more than their fair share of cold-related deaths if things kept up as forecasted. Freezing to death from exposure was a terrible way to go.

"Isn't he still mad at you?" George wondered. "You broke his streak. Six consecutive championships is an impressive number for anyone. Statistically that's unlikely to be beaten for a long time."

"Yeah," Jamie grinned when he thought about his former TO's reaction to the end of the game on Sunday. "We better stop over at that coffee shop on 9th so I can pick up a peace offering before we get there or I might just come back wearing that snow globe on my head."

"Better make that two," George smirked as he was starting to relax and get comfortable enough to joke with his boss a little. "Isn't Officer Janko on desk duty now this week, too?… I mean it looked like she hurt herself a little after she slid into you when you blocked the bag to end the game."

Jamie considered that for a moment. Here he was again getting relationship advice from another unlikely source and was that an actual cheeky dig from his once whimpy probie? This single father thing had really knocked him off his game lately, and he was looking to return the favor… a little introduction might be in order since someone he knew was still looking for an adventure night buddy. "You got a girlfriend, rookie?" he barked back a little.

"No, sir."

"Are you afraid of heights?"

###

"Harvard, can I see you in my office?" Sergeant Anthony Renzulli yelled down the hall with a tight smirk. He was surprised to see that his old boot had the balls to show up at the 12th to gloat so soon after their little inter-precinct rivalry had played out, although he assumed Jamie was probably only there to check up on his girlfriend. Eddie was playing house mouse for the next few tours under her sergeant's orders while her ankle healed, and in typical fashion, it was proving to be an adventure keeping her confined. Jamie gave her a wink as he dropped off a large coffee and Danish from her favorite all-night cafe. "Duty calls," he grinned.

"So not fair," Eddie frowned as the phone at her desk rang again. "12th Precinct, Officer Janko speaking, how may I help you?... Hold please while I transfer you..." She sighed, knowing how many times she was destined to repeat that line over the course of the rest of the week. She watched Jamie as he walked down to the sergeant's office and assumed the discussion would be centered on the softball game while he tried to make peace with his former partner.

"Come in and close the door," Renzulli ordered from behind his desk as Jamie entered. The older man smiled as his former partner placed a large coffee and blueberry muffin in front of him. "You remembered, kid. I'm touched."

"Straight black Colombian, one cream on the side. Any kind of muffin besides banana. Hard to forget, Sarge." His eyes traveled up to the spot on the shelf behind the desk where the treasured trophy was once proudly displayed and he had to laugh when he saw it had been replaced by a picture of Renzulli with his wife Adele at a baseball game.

"Don't you even go there," the older man growled as he followed Jamie's gaze. "We'll get it back next year. You're lucky Adele likes the Yankees and took that snow globe home. Now what brings you here tonight? I assume this wasn't strictly social, and it's not like you to rub stuff like this in."

"You told me when this whole sergeant's thing came up that you've had trouble with Jimmy Michael for years," Jamie explained as he grew suddenly serious. "Off the record, what can you tell me about him?"

"What do you want to know for?" Renzulli asked suspiciously as he rocked back in his chair. It was so typical of his former boot to poke his nose into anything that smelled bad. "He's retiring at the end of the year. Don't go stirring up trouble for yourself with the old guard at the 3-5, kid. Jimmy's been there a long time."

"Something's up, Sarge, and it goes alot further than the 3-5. I can't let this slide until I know what it is."

"Jimmy's always been a problem," Renzulli sighed, knowing Jamie was going to root out this information one way or another. "Ever since him and Walter used to run as partners. Things were different back in that day… there was a lot more dirt swept under the rug in each department, especially at the 3-5 after your father moved on. Lucky for you a lot of those old guys are already retired and out of there. You've got a shot to clean out that house now."

"Walter?" Jamie questioned. He couldn't recall his father talking about any cops from that precinct with the name before. His gaze sharpened though with the next words out of Renzulli's mouth, although he tried his best to hide it.

"Yeah, Walter Denison… they were partners forever. He retired too a few years back. Can't say I was sorry to see that. Damn guy was always out for himself… never had any of our backs when things went south."

Jamie just nodded as he listened to Renzulli reminisce for a few more minutes. He had the connection he was looking for now, but no clue yet as to what to do with it.

###

"Dammit to hell, Paul!" Walter Denison shouted as soon as his son entered the back room in the abandoned storefront they had agreed to meet at. "I'm telling you that effing Reagan kid is on to us! Why else would Jimmy call me and tell me that he's been nosing around those logs with that rookie of his? Phil said that guy is some kind of math genius. Once they figure out that Jimmy and I were partners he's gonna put it all together with you being on the case and run to his daddy! We're screwed! There's no time to wait out this trial!"

"Shut up, dad!" the younger Denison hissed as he scanned the room. "There's no way Harvard boy figured anything out! You're just too jumpy! Another couple of weeks and we'll be in the clear. That Michael kid will slip up on the stand as planned and look like he's thrown himself under the bus because he has a guilty conscience and the Dutton's will get their big fifteen million dollar settlement. All that money will be ours."

"Paul, I was a cop for a lot of years. I know when we've been made! I'm telling you we need to take what we have from the disability kickbacks and get out now!"

"If they had anything on us, we'd be in custody already! I've told you we are clear! Chuck Miller is a fool and the Feds have no interest in this! I WORK WITH THEM! I WOULD KNOW!" the younger man raged. He was a classic narcissist and had put years of planning into this scheme. His ducks were all in a row, and he would not believe he could be wrong about any of this. No one, especially that failed ivy league law student, Jamison Reagan, was smarter than him.

"Besides," Paul snarled as he took a copy of a police report out of his pocket and slammed it down on the table, "he can't prove we were involved in any of this before the case goes to court and the Reagans and the rest of the 3-5 are going to be too busy planning a couple of funerals to worry about the close of the Michael's trial. You're gonna make damn sure of that, Pop!"

Walter was aghast as he looked at his son, "What are you talking about, Paul?" He had been all in for the money they were stealing from the city and the NYPD, but murder was out of his comfort zone. Especially when it involved the Police Commissioner's family. He knew their reputation and that the Reagans would never rest if someone hurt one of their own.

"JUST SHUT THE HELL UP! I TOLD YOU, NO ONE IS GOING TO STOP ME!" his son screamed back, clearly coming undone with the stress. Paul Denison had hidden his fragile mental demons from everyone for many years behind a brilliant mind, but they were on full display right now. "You and Jimmy are going to rig one of those buildings at Bridgewater Square to go boom, Dad," he grinned as he looked at his father, knowing he'd had extensive munitions training in the army. "All those big propane heaters in there for the construction project. Would be a real shame if a couple of those would blow when the NYPD was conducting a search for a reported armed suspect, don't you think? A real disastrous accident and so hard to prove otherwise when everything's buried under a four-story pile of old bricks… Jimmy's been taking kickbacks from the guys ripping that place off for months. They'll get you in to set it up and he'll make sure Reagan and his partner are in the wrong place at the right time. All we gotta do is have an anonymous tip called in after Thanksgiving that the officers at the 3-5 and 12th are being targeted and worried daddy Commissioner will double up on responders on every call for the next few weeks. That'll get Reagan and Jimmy working the same shifts and we can get rid of him when the trial starts. Everyone will be distracted by the great tragedy and then we'll be done with his worthless ass and free to leave the country with millions of dollars as soon as the judge rules the next week!"

Walter Denison was still breathing heavily after his son stormed out of the building. He wondered, not for the first time, how he had raised such a child, but he wasn't going to cross him now. The Reagans would just have to deal with their loss. They'd done it before.

* * *

 _Ruh-roh! Damn Paul Denison is a sneaky little bastard isn't he? Some things never change. Too bad Jamie's juggling so many things in this version of the series and doesn't have a clear focus on his legal buddy from 1PP this time… it's gonna make it hard to watch that six the whole while like he really needs to, and what might happen to him, George or Eddie if he doesn't? Butterfly wings spoiler alert! One member of a favorite duo may no longer be with us when this one is over but you'll never guess who it is. Next up, a Reagan Thanksgiving sets up the final explosive events (ha!) for this story._


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

"I can't believe we pulled parade duty again on Thanksgiving," Eddie griped as she and Wilson walked their assigned beat. "It's so freaking cold this year I think my fingers are going to snap off," she complained as she blew into her gloves in a vain attempt to warm them which offered no relief.

"Heat packs," Wilson said shaking his head and reaching into his pocket to toss her a few. "C'mon Janko… where's your holiday spirit? Besides, after what happened in Paris this year, the mayor and PC promised the largest NYPD presence we've ever had for one of these parades… thousands and thousands of officers out along the route, including hundreds of our new counter terror force for critical response command. We've even got people out there waving the French flag in solidarity. Makes me proud to be a New Yorker today," he added. "So where's lover boy? You two getting together with the family for a big meal later? I heard Sergeant Vickers on the radio for the 3-5 this morning… Reagan luck out and get the day off?"

"No, um, he switched and took third shift today so he could bring Kaylin to the parade this morning," Eddie admitted a little sadly. "He said he didn't want to miss spending it with her. At least we'll get to be together this afternoon…" she sniffed as she trailed off while they walked through the crowd, keeping a keen eye out for any trouble, so far though there had been minimal disturbances.

"So that's why you're bummed? 'Cause you're working and he's off having fun with the kid?"

"Yeah, I guess. Maybe I feel like I'm getting left out a little, and I just hate this limbo we're in. His mind's been all wrapped up in the court stuff the past few weeks and even though most of the hype has died down with the press; he just hasn't been himself. Something's bothering him but he's not opening up about it. Plus Kaylin was sick with a cold the last couple of days so he's just burning the candle at both ends right now… not sleeping much. I get worried when he's out working like that," she admitted as the iconic Tom Turkey float went by and one of the costumed performers accompanying it ran up and grabbed her shoulder with a hand behind her back to dip her before planting a big kiss on her face with his soft beak and an exaggerated pat on her butt. Flashes went off and a camera crew caught the scene. "Terrific," she muttered as he ran off and she straightened up, pausing to adjust her hat. "Just what I need. Now Ms. Adams can show proof I'm corrupting the morals of the entire country while on duty by banging some PDA with a feathered furry on live television."

"Well, you said he's been able to push things through to get the hearings scheduled in the beginning of next month, right? Sounds like he's doing everything he can," Wilson said without missing a beat before chuckling. "You really know how to attract 'em, Janko."

"Funny," she frowned. "It would just be great if all of this was over soon so we could…"

"S'cuse me, Eddie!" she turned around as a familiar little shrill but somewhat muffled voice was heard from behind them. Jamie was standing there with his phone out after snapping a few pictures of the run in with the bird character, an over bundled up Kaylin sitting on his shoulders and a big smile on his face.

"You taking care of my girl, Wilson?" he laughed as Eddie beamed when he called her that… all of her insecurities disappeared in an instant with those few words. It was exactly what she needed to hear. "You shouldn't be letting another turkey have his way with her though," he added with a smirk.

"Yeah, sorry about that, man," Wilson smiled as he reached out to shake his hand. They both had a mutual respect for one another and more than anything Jamie was relieved Eddie was partnered up with such a good person and experienced officer. "Happy Thanksgiving."

"No problem, besides who do you think paid the guy off to do that?" Jamie winked. "Hey, you looked like you needed a hug!" he defended as Eddie took a mock swing at him while Kaylin clapped her mittens and giggled. They all paused for a second for Wilson to snap a photo of the trio together. "Just don't be late for dinner, Janko," Jamie called as he moved off through the crowd with a wave.

"Bye, Eddie bear!" Kaylin shouted over his shoulder.

"Bye, baby," Eddie answered with a wave while watching them go. "What?" she demanded from Wilson as she tapped his shoulder while he grinned back at her.

"And you were worried. I'm just gonna start calling you Mrs. Reagan from now on."

###

"I'm thankful Mrs. Sevenski went on maternity leave so we have a substitute for Algebra the whole next semester," Jack offered as the Reagans continued the annual tradition of having everyone express a gratitude for the year.

"Wait!" Nicki interrupted. "Where's Uncle Jamie? We can't start without him!"

"Uncle Jamie is thankful he got a little shuteye this afternoon," he admitted with a stifled yawn as he joined the table late and set a big coffee mug down next to his plate. He'd fallen into a deep sleep the moment he sat down on the couch after arriving earlier and no one had the heart to wake him knowing he was on tour that night. "Sorry about that, guys."

"You missed the football game!" Sean complained. "We got creamed this year because of her!" he added as he pointed accusingly at Eddie. "It wasn't fair! I'm not thankful for that!"

"Sean, be nice," Henry tutted. "I'm thankful as always for another year, but also because we have two new special people at the table this time around," he added with a big smile for Eddie and Kaylin. "What about you sweetheart?" he directed at the toddler. "What makes you happy little girl?"

"Jammie!" she shouted, "and Eddie!"

"Well, I'm thankful for that," Jamie smiled as he looked at both of them.

"Me too," Eddie grinned. "That and claiming my very first Wishbone Bowl medal."

"No fair," Sean muttered under his breath, still undone by the sound defeat to his brother's team earlier as he glared back at his uncle. He'd be hearing about this for months. "And you went twice."

"I'm thankful to be almost through my first semester at college," Nicki sighed as she ignored her cousin. "It's a lot harder than I thought it would be."

"I'm thankful Nicki is almost through her first semester at college," Erin agreed. "It's a lot more expensive than I thought it would be."

"I'm thankful we're all here at the table to share this meal," Frank smiled as he looked out on his family, his eyes pausing to rest on his youngest son. "It was a little touch and go earlier this year for a couple of you," he added as he thought back to Linda's shooting, Jamie's accident and the ensuing bout of pneumonia.

"Amen to that, Harvard," Danny added. "We've all had enough of you scaring the bejesus out of the family. 'Bout time you toned it down a bit," he added with a smirk knowing that Jamie was sweating out the wait for Kaylin's court date and a call from a certain jeweler to let him know when a big surprise was ready to be picked up. His big brother knew the kid was ready to settle down more than anything.

"You're one to talk, Danny," Linda said shaking her head. "I'd be thankful if my husband would grow up a little."

"Pass the potatoes," Frank quickly moved the conversation on, knowing all had not been rosy between his oldest son and his wife the past few months. Linda had taken the aftermath of the shooting at the hospital very hard, and it was getting more difficult to ignore the small jabs she had been directing at Danny and the law enforcement profession as a whole lately. He knew what a demanding life it was to be married to a cop even without the added stress of her incident, and he hoped that they wouldn't be missing anyone else from the table in the upcoming months. Right now though his concern shifted back to his rather tired-looking son picking at his dinner. The last thing Frank wanted to see was one of his men head out onto the street that way, especially if he was also the one in charge of a whole shift of other officers. He decided to corner Jamie out in the kitchen after the meal as they were cleaning up and get to the root of the matter in private. Something was obviously bothering the boy.

"So what's really going on?" he pried as they were washing a few dishes and packing a some leftovers while the rest of the family was finishing dessert. Neither one had been hungry for more food. "You look overwhelmed, son. Everything alright at work? You still having problems with any of the old-timers at the 3-5? Is that Adams woman still causing issues for you with the adoption?"

"No, not really, Dad," Jamie answered honestly. "And I was lucky enough to get Judge White for the next court date. She seems to be able to see through anything Adams throws at her. Providing nothing major happens between now and then, if everything goes right I should be able to get final approval from her… Operation KaR will be over just in time for Christmas," he smiled at the thought. Right now with the additional plans he had just made and forked over some serious cash for, he was banking on that to come through otherwise there were going to be some very awkward moments for him and Eddie in between the holidays.

"The job then?" Frank continued to probe.

"No, I mean most of the guys are on board now. George seems to be coming along for the most part. I'm just having problems myself trying to take care of Kaylin and work around these shift schedules, especially when she wasn't feeling well. I'm back on days this week after tonight so things should be better. Then there's that whole issue with the Michael's trial. I still think you're gonna get burned by that."

"Jamie, I told you before… that's for me to be concerned with," Frank sighed, shaking his head at the boy's stubbornness on this subject. "You've already got too much on your plate with a new command and what's happening with Kaylin. That's what you have to focus on right now. You don't have time to involve yourself with this and you need to let the family help you more. We can all pick up the slack a little more with babysitting, and Chuck Miller says…"

"Chuck Miller says you have nothing to worry about," Jamie finished as he dried the last plate and put it in the cabinet. "Because that's what he's been led to believe. I'm telling you there is something that smells bad with that whole thing and it's gonna come back and haunt you," he paused for emphasis before looking up at his father. "I gotta go. Mrs. Henderson was nice enough to offer to watch Kaylin tonight, but she's off to spend the weekend at her daughter's place upstate after I come off shift in the morning."

"You'll leave her here then," Frank insisted. "I've taken a vacation day tomorrow and that way you can go home and just take time to sleep straight through. You need it, son," he added worriedly looking at the dark circles forming under Jamie's eyes.

"You're sure?" Jamie frowned. "I don't want a repeat of the whole growl'in bear fiasco. The Police Commissioner needs his beauty rest too," he added with a little grin. "The greatest city in the world is counting on you."

"The Police Commissioner will have his sleep," Frank insisted. "And I don't intend to be outdone by that little girl again."

###

"I'm sorry to call you in so early on your day off, but you really needed to see this," Garrett apologized as he met Frank at the elevator on the fourteenth floor at 1PP Friday morning. He did a double take as he looked down to see a bright-eyed toddler dressed in a light blue and grey puffy snowsuit with a rather fluorescent-looking garish purple and white bunny character beanie hat with big floppy ears accompanying him. "Oh, no Frank! Not again!" the DCPI sighed. "You had to bring her into the office with you? Please tell me that no one was snapping pictures of this as you got out of the car with your detail!"

"As you said, this was my day off," Frank replied gruffly. "Jamie needed some help, my father's not feeling well after one too many hot toddy's yesterday and it's cold outside. Alert the press! NYPD Police Commissioner seen with little girl dressed appropriately for the weather! News at eleven!... If you only knew what it took to wrestle her into this outfit..." he griped as he started to walk to his office to begin the equally challenging task of peeling her back out of it.

"There is news, Frank, and you're not gonna like it," Garrett insisted grimly. "And neither is Jamie."

Frank turned and pursed his lips with a frown as he made his way towards his assistant, obviously whatever it was should probably be discussed outside of the little girl's earshot. "Baker, I apologize for asking, but would you mind taking Kaylin into the conference room," he said as he handed over a backpack. "I brought some of her favorite books to look at."

"Not a problem, sir," Baker smiled as she took the toddler's hand. "C'mon sweetie," she said. "It's so nice to finally meet you. My name is Abigail and I bet we have a few cookies and some milk in the kitchen too." Kaylin eagerly followed the friendly voice down the hall. She had become far more outgoing in the last few weeks as her confidence in people grew.

"Now what is it?" Frank ordered as he frowned back at Garrett, knowing after all of this it couldn't be good.

"This letter came into your interoffice mail today, which means it originated in this building. There's no way to trace it," the DCPI explained as he handed over the paper already enclosed in an evidence bag. "Someone was smart enough not to use anything that could be tracked electronically."

Frank's throat tightened as he read through the short printed paragraph threatening deadly violence against his officers from two very familiar precincts in particular. The hash tags at the bottom summed it up succinctly.

 _#2deadcops #whowilldie3-5 #onegonefortheholidays12th_

"Frank those are specific threats against the 12th and 3-5, the two precincts your son has been assigned to, and this letter was directed to you here in your own house at 1PP. This is no joke. Someone inside the department is obviously targeting him. You need to pull him off the street right now and put him under protective custody," the DCPI insisted.

"We have no proof of that and even if it was so, he won't agree to something that drastic, Garrett," Frank grimaced with a heavy sinking heart, knowing he was about to heap a new level of stress and amplify the workload on his already tired and over-taxed son. "It says there will be two dead cops. Jamie would never abandon his command to hide when his men and women's lives are in danger, especially now. Get threat assessment and our best CSI units on this to see if they can narrow anything down, and we need a meeting scheduled here this afternoon with every single ranking officer from those two houses… sergeants up through the captains. Each shift… I want them all in! We're going to have to double all of our response units for every single call until we can figure out who's behind this."

* * *

 _Unfortunately that's gonna play right into Denison's hands. He wants everyone distracted while he wraps up his trial, and things have already been set in place to make that happen. What he doesn't count on are the roles luck and Mother Nature will play in how this eventually turns out. Big-time cliffy alert for tomorrow!_


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

"Alright everyone, we all know the drill by now," Jamie advised as he held a crowded roll call meeting with his expanded platoon before their scheduled swing shift. It was Friday afternoon, a full week into the siege directed at the 3-5 and 12th precincts. Thus far there had not been one break in the case, but also thankfully no signs of any of the promised violence. All the ranking officers at each house were pulling daily double shifts as were at least half of the regular patrol men and women so that numbers were ramped up across the board. Everyone was tired and running on empty by this point, but the brain trust at 1PP was loath to dial back the response just yet as a second threatening letter had been delivered two days earlier with much the same message.

"We have a real-feel temperature outside of twenty degrees right now with another strong arctic front approaching," Jamie continued. "Temperatures are going to drop into the single digits within the next two hours and the wind chill will put us below zero so we are in a Code Blue. I want extra effort put into making sure every single one of the homeless in our district are in a shelter tonight. We've already seen three deaths this week due to exposure. I know some of them refuse to go, but pick them up anyway. There are warming stations set up at every available point. All officers are advised to be prepared for extreme temperatures. Be smart if you have to be out of the car people and keep your eyes open for any trouble. As we have seen, Central will dispatch two units to each call, and the sergeants and lieutenant on duty will be floating to each scene as needed." He paused to look up and catch the eyes of Lieutenant Carson and Sergeant Michael who were both standing in the back of the room and assigned to cover the shift with him. "Stay safe tonight, everyone. I know that the added hours are difficult in these conditions, and I appreciate the fine manner with which you have all conducted yourselves over the past week. That's all. Dismissed," he added.

Jamie made his way back to his office and paused to rub his hands over his tired face. He had already been on duty for the first shift and was looking at another eight hours before he could get some rest. As if things weren't bad enough, Kaylin's next and possible final court date was scheduled for the following Tuesday and he was afraid to request a continuance given Ms. Adam's assertion that he was already unable to provide a stable environment for the little girl. His soon-to-be official daughter was now permanently camped out at the family home with Henry and his father as well as a rotating contingent of the other family members who would come and stay with her as needed so that Jamie could concentrate on the difficult job at hand. He paused to glance down at his phone. There was a message from Mr. Gillespie that the engagement ring was finally done and ready to be picked up. Terrific. In addition to his own worries, he had found himself increasingly obsessed with Eddie's safety since as far as anyone was concerned she was also in added danger at the 12th, and he knew she was likewise on her second tour of duty that evening. The ring could wait, he waffled. It's not like he was planning on giving it to her just yet anyway... there were so many other things that needed to be orchestrated before that would happen, but for some reason he just wanted it in his hands… to have something real to hold onto while all of this other stuff played out. The decision was made to drop by on meal break and pick it up after a quick call to his brother confirmed that Danny was willing and able to do him a favor that night.

"You okay, Sarge?" George's voice floated in from the doorway as his rookie stood waiting for him. "I've got the car all warmed up." The young officer had grown by leaps and bounds in confidence over the past few weeks and Jamie had begun to trust him to ride out with other veterans although he found he still preferred to partner with him whenever possible. Tonight though all manpower was sacred, and he had some administrative duties to take care of before he could hit the street. Like it or not, even under threat, things like time cards and schedules needed to be approved and produced or he would have a roomful of angry personnel when payday arrived and there were no checks waiting, especially with the overtime everyone was pulling.

"Yeah, George, thanks," Jamie answered as he reached for his radio to call into one of his units before they left. "But I've got to take care of a few things here before I catch up with you. I'm gonna put you in the car with Patterson and Richards until then. No sense in you sitting around the precinct. You stick with Mike and keep your eyes open to help them. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," George responded. "Here's the keys," he added as he tossed them to his TO.

"Thanks, they're waiting for you out front," Jamie confirmed. "Be safe out there," he added as he watched the young man depart, not realizing that an interested set of eyes was still locked on the pair from across the room. Tonight was the night, as closing arguments were set to be heard in the big trial on Monday morning, and now the two main targets were splitting up. That was unfortunate and would make things more difficult Jimmy Michael thought nervously as he fingered a small device in his pocket and texted an accomplice to tell him to hold off on making an important call to set things in motion just yet. If push came to shove, it would be the rookie that found himself with wings tonight, as another dead partner would surely be enough of a distraction to the youngest Reagan to serve the intended purpose. Denison wanted both of them taken out though, and Jimmy was not about to cross that man who had shown no hesitation in ridding himself of anyone that got in his way.

###

Across town, another worried Reagan was also watching the clock as he remained in his office. Frank himself had not been able to rest while his officers and own son were under such a dire threat and he had grown frustrated with the lack of progress the CSI team had made in tracking down where the menacing letters had originated from. The fact that there was no tiny printer steganography or watermarks imprinted on the pages only reinforced the notion that whoever had done this was organized and well-versed in forensics… one of the NYPD own most likely. The lead supervisor was due to arrive within the hour for another update and the Commissioner was in no mood to hear any more excuses. With the holidays only three weeks away he wanted this crisis put to an end so that operations at the two precincts could go back to normal and his officers could get some rest. Even if no direct threat emerged, a tired workforce meant that mistakes were more likely to occur, and in this business that in itself could prove deadly.

Garrett was respectfully quiet as he entered the room and made his way to the couch with some bags of takeout for dinner. He knew his boss's temper was short and had no intentions of exacerbating the situation. Frank was standing at the window and looking out at the nearly frozen city again, an almost constant state in the last week. He sighed as he pursed his lips and conceded the position to join his DCPI for a bite to eat while worrying if his son had thought to do the same recently. His only solace in this was the fact that by keeping Kaylin there, he had forced Jamie to stay at the family home when he wasn't on duty so that one of them could monitor his food and sleep intake to a degree. Even with that precaution, his youngest had taken on a gaunt look this week and Frank was growing concerned that the stress of this coupled with Kaylin's upcoming court proceedings was going to land him in big trouble soon.

"I checked with dispatch before I came in here," Garrett offered for a bit of small talk. "The radio's been quiet across the city tonight. No one's moving in this weather."

"That's a positive I guess," Frank mused as he took a bite of his sandwich. _It would be a very good thing if it stayed that way,_ he thought although he wondered how many times the coroner would be called out for the unfortunate who had not found a warm venue. At least there was no precipitation coming with the front, just a bitter freeze descending on the whole region.

"Frank…"

"Don't Garrett... don't even say it," the Commissioner growled. "All I want to hear is that the CSI unit has figured out who's behind this or I swear to you I will rip this whole building apart one brick at a time until I come up with the answer myself."

###

Jamie glanced at his watch as he climbed into the squad car by himself outside of the precinct. The radio had remained essentially quiet all evening, and he had been able to clear the backlog of necessary paperwork off his desk while Carson and Michael covered the active scenes. It was now just before eight o'clock, and if he hurried he could meet Danny at the jeweler's before they closed and grab some food before retrieving George and finishing up the tour out on patrol where he belonged. He had just pulled his phone out to talk to his brother while the car warmed up when his radio crackled with a call.

"On the air… 12-Sergeant, 12-Adam, 3-5 Sergeant, 3-5 Adam, 3-5 Charles, 3-5 Edward, Central. Report of a 10-30 armed intruder at the construction project, Amsterdam and Bridge. All units respond."

"10-4, 3-5 Sergeant," Jamie keyed into his radio with a frown. "Not that place again," he muttered as he slipped his phone back into his pocket while hitting the lights and siren. So much for picking up the ring or dinner for the matter. Both would have to wait. At least it sounded like Eddie was staying warm as she and Wilson had been spared from this incident.

After a brief drive, Jamie found himself pulling up on the scene and parking outside of the perimeter fence at the same time as Renzulli. It was obvious that the lock to the walk-through gate had been cut and it hung open. "We've gotta stop meeting like this, Reagan," the older man joked as he got out of his car with Sam. The second unit from the 12th arrived soon after and Jamie could see that the RMPs for 3-5 Charles with Patterson, Richards and George as well as Sergeant Michael were already on site but there was no sign of the officers. He frowned knowing that Michael should have waited for the additional units to arrive before taking _his_ men in there. "3-5 Charles, report," Jamie barked into his mic.

"3-5 Charles entering right building, Sarge," Patterson reported. "We've got a breached door in the back."

"Hold for an additional unit." Jamie ordered as Renzulli waved his second squad to follow in. "12-Adam is coming. 3-5 Edward, where are you Mahoy?"

"Far left building with Sergeant Michael, sir," George's voice reported. "We also have a breached rear door."

"Hold for backup," Jamie repeated with his sixth sense for danger flaring as he looked over at his old TO. They were both uneasy and thinking the same thing.

"What the hell is going on here tonight?" Renzulli griped as he drew his weapon out and looked around. "There's not much in those buildings yet, is there? Maybe someone's just looking for a place to get warm. What do you want to do, Jamie?"

"Something's not right, Sarge," Jamie said shaking his head. Part of him wanted to call for a bigger response, but the thought of his rookie out there in the dark with only Michael for backup drove him on. "You and Sam take a look at the middle structure. I'm going to go and see what Jimmy's doing with Mahoy over there. We'll rethink this maybe when we figure out what's happening."

"Watch your six, Reagan," Renzulli warned. "I got a bad feeling about this for some reason."

"Me too," Jamie agreed as they split up and he moved off to the side in the dark and quickly approached the building on the left. He was startled to find Michael standing outside alone on his phone. "Where's Mahoy?" he demanded as he glanced inside the open doorway with his flashlight. It was obvious from the drywall dust that had settled from the recent construction progress that there was only one set of fresh tracks in the hall and they led directly to the below ground stairwell.

"Sent him down to clear the basement," Michael grinned at Jamie's sharp look. This was going to work out perfectly and he had an open line recording the conversation with the precinct to give himself an alibi. "C'mon… there's no one else in there, you can see that. You coddle that kid too much, Reagan. He's never gonna be a cop anyone can count on. Some high and mighty training officer you make yourself out to be. Damn rookie's knees were shaking when I told him to get in there… he never even stopped to think that the building's already empty. Told him to stay down there until he checked every inch of that space since there was some kind of smell. He's too scared to even answer his radio now," Michael laughed out loud. "Why don't you go and see if you can talk him out of there while I go back up some real cops," he chuckled as he moved off while fingering the device in his pocket and watching Jamie's actions intently. Walter Denison had rigged the three large propane tanks on the outside of the far wall to blow in succession while a small fixed gas leak inside would ensure the whole building would flash and implode causing all four stories of the high ceiling brick building to come crashing down and bury the evidence along with anything, or anyone else who might be inside it. _It'll take a week for them to reach the bodies down there,_ Michael chuckled as he moved off to safety.

Jamie was shaking his head and just about to lay into the other sergeant in anger when Renzulli and the other units all radioed in clear and his own phone vibrated in his pocket… a message and missed call from his father.

" _119_ "

"AH, DAMN IT!" he muttered as he swiped the screen to call back as he walked into the building flashing his light and proceeded down the hallway to retrieve his rookie who probably needed to be peeled out of the basement by this point in much the same manner that Kaylin came out of her snow clothes lately. He'd had such high hopes for George but this looked to be a pretty bad mistake even if he was following orders. "MAHOY!" he yelled and proceeded down the steps after him when he didn't receive a response.

###

Frank Reagan had just started pacing after placing the unsuccessful call to his son before relief swept over him as it was almost immediately returned. The CSI supervisor William Reed sat nervously with Garrett on the chairs on front of the desk as they watched the Commissioner frown when he put the phone up to his ear.

"What is it, Dad?" Jamie asked somewhat irritably as he carefully worked his way down the steps and unto the uneven basement surface. Mounds of soft dirt were scattered about as the floors had been torn up and footers excavated for reinforcement. The temperature was hovering just above freezing as the propane-fueled heaters were set to keep the structure just warm enough to keep the heavy factory-grade pipes from being damaged during the extensive renovation. He covered the phone's microphone briefly to try another time to reach his rookie. "MAHOY! ANSWER ME NOW!" he ordered before returning the device to his ear as he walked towards the southwest side of the building.

"Jamie, where are you?" Frank demanded as the news the CSI had delivered had finally clicked all the pieces into place for him.

"The Bridgewater construction site on Amsterdam... why?" his son answered as he turned the corner and finally spotted his young officer, standing apparently frozen in the center of the dark cluttered area, staring blankly at his light shining on the ground. "Oh no, George," Jamie sighed as he quickly walked towards him, it was apparent from his shaking stature and rasping breaths that the rookie was in the middle of a full-blown panic attack… the battle with claustrophobia and his hope for a career as an NYPD patrol officer lost.

"SON, YOU NEED TO GET TO SOMEPLACE SAFE, NOW!" Frank ordered as he was already reaching for his overcoat and motioning Garrett to call for his detail and the car.

"WHY? WHAT'S THE MATTER?" Jamie paused as he was caught between two equally bizarre realities with neither of them making any sense at the present, but the tone that his father had in his voice was most unnerving, even above the fact that George had remained standing like a statue for this long with no response.

"JAMIE!" Frank yelled in a panic as he sensed that maybe the warning was coming too late based on his son's reaction. "CSI narrowed the paper and toner used on the threatening letters to the printer right here in the legal department at 1PP! You've been right about something being corrupt there all along! If anyone is in danger, it's you and your partner! Now get to your car and meet me at the precinct immediately! You're both being placed into protective custody until we get to the bottom of this!"

"Oh, shit!" Jamie muttered as his legs started to run towards the rookie while he made the connection to Denison and the fact that he and George had been sent down in this basement by Jimmy Michael on purpose. "George!" he yelled as he reached the young man. "GEORGE! WE'VE GOTTA GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE! MOVE!" he implored as he gave him a violent shove back towards the stairwell and their only avenue of escape just before the world flashed to a brilliant mind-numbing white and then faded to blissful black as the air left their bodies and the sky fell down on them.

"JAMIE!" Frank called frantically as he stood at his desk and the line went dead. He stared back blankly at the device in his hand and the shocked faces of Garrett and CSI Reed that mirrored his own.

"God... I think something's happened."

* * *

 _And that's not even the worst of it, believe it or not! We're on a real run now until the end, and remember the title of the story? There's more yet to come into play for our two favorite superheros, and it's going to take a whole team to try to save them both if that's even possible at this point._

 _Also, thank you once again to all my loyal readers and reviewers! You guys keep me motivated to keep writing!_


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

The sound of gushing water and a cold bone-numbing chill were the first things to register in rookie officer George Mahoy's thoughts as the cacophony of noise enveloping him in the choking darkness of the collapsed basement finally ceased. Miraculously he found himself virtually unscathed by the debris around him as he had been protected by a tepee of heavy metal sheathing that had come down on either side of him. He slowly sat up from the place where he had fallen and curled up in a tight fetal ball on instinct with his arms laced over his head for protection and gingerly reached for the flashlight laying next to him as his senses steadily returned. Crushing fear from a lifelong case of claustrophobia began to give way to utter shock before he realized what had happened and exactly what he was _not_ hearing…

"Sarge!" he gasped as he picked up the light, frantically casting it about in the direction he last remembered seeing his partner. He knew that Jamie had managed to push him away in the split second before things had collapsed, but there was no sign of his TO anywhere. Instead there were piles of brick, wood and other debris surrounding him and the bare, newly excavated ground had become wet and muddy as water from the broken overhead pipes was rushing down and flooding the space with up to several inches of an icy wet bath already. With the unusually cold December temperatures gripping the region, this complication in the now unheated space of the old building could quickly become deadly all on its own.

"Sergeant Reagan! Do you hear me?!" he tried calling again as he crawled in the direction to where the whole ceiling had collapsed. He was so startled that he almost dropped the light as the radio on his shoulder crackled to life with a familiar voice pleading for a response.

"3-5 Edward, this is 12-Sergeant! Do you read? Reagan! Mahoy! Answer me!"

"3-5 Edward," George gasped as some of his training came back to him and he reached to key his mic. "10-13 Officer down! I mean I don't know... I think he is... I can't find him!..."

"Mahoy! Where are you?!" Renzulli barked.

"Basement! The whole building's come down on us…" he yelled as he crawled through another pile on his hands and knees in desperate search of his partner, his own fears of tight spaces pushed aside for the moment. His heart froze as his light illuminated a patch of sandy brown hair and an ashen, still face. "Oh, crap," he whispered with a heavy swallow, not quite believing what he was seeing. "He's… he's HERE! GOD!" George relayed in shock. "THE BEAM!… it's come down on him! It's up to his chest! He's trapped! We need help! NOW! PLEASE HELP US!" It was clearly evident that George had become unhinged and was starting to panic.

Sergeant Anthony Renzulli stared back at the rubble of the collapsed building as the rookie's cries echoed from the radio and fought off the urge to just lay his equipment down on the ground and walk away… to quit and go find some other line of work where friends and coworkers did not put themselves on the line and die on a regular basis. Instead, he took a deep breath and put his hand to his shoulder radio to do the only thing he could… take charge of the situation and immediately call for help. "Central, 12-Sergeant! We've got a 10-66 gas explosion and building collapse at Bridge and Amsterdam! 10-13! Two officers trapped under heavy debris in basement! Call in everyone forthwith!" he choked out with fear gripping his chest. "Roll busses, Fire, EMS, Rescue… every damn piece of equipment they've got!" He turned to face his own trainee who was standing still and staring once again in disbelief. "Sam! Get a location on 12-David and get Wilson and Janko over here now!" he barked at his rookie.

"Now Mahoy," he started in a slow, calm voice as he switched back to the squad radio and turned around to face the scene head on while over twenty years of experience in crisis management took over. He couldn't allow himself to think about who was in there or the whys or what if's… not until later when it would hit him ironically like a ton of bricks. "Son, take a deep breath. We're going to get you out of there. Now what is Sergeant Reagan's current situation?"

Silence reigned.

"MAHOY!" Renzulli snapped in anger. This was no time to hold a probie's hand and he wasn't losing Jamie without a fight. "Assess your partner! What's his situation?" he demanded.

"There's… there's a pulse," George offered in utter relief as he forced himself to reach out to check what he was sure had to be a dead body lying face up and crushed under tons of debris. Jamie groaned in response to his touch and moved his head slightly before opening his eyes and blinking heavily in the flashlight's glare. "He's awake now!" he exclaimed. Outside, each officer in the growing throng gathered within hearing distance paused to breathe and give thanks. The entire street was lit up in blue and red lights now as emergency vehicles from every division began to arrive en masse.

"Get that damn light out of my face," Jamie growled as he sluggishly tried to push himself up and away from the wet, freezing cold ground. "What happened?" he asked as his mind remained dull and numb. The last thing he remembered was entering the building and walking down some steps to look for his rookie. His arms were moving but the rest of his body past his lower chest felt like it was oddly encased in cement. _That's so weird,_ he thought for a second before the realization of what that meant came to him and his eyes opened wider as it became apparent that nothing beyond his shoulders was under his control. "JESUS! Get this thing off of me!" he panicked as he pushed up against the beam that had come to a rest on top of him to no avail. "George, help me!" he cried.

"I'm trying, sir!" his rookie acknowledged as he put his shoulder to the massive structural element and pushed to no advantage. "It's not budging!"

"Reagan, talk to me!" Renzulli bellowed over the radio, hoping beyond hope that his old boot was able to give a more thorough report than the flighty trainee. "I've got rescue and EMS two minutes out!"

Jamie fought to control the rising level of fear that was welling up inside of him. If he was going to get out of this mess he needed help, and he needed it immediately. He reached for his radio on autopilot. "I'm… I'm stuck under a beam, Sarge. Can't move!" he gasped while he also became aware of the rising level of moisture seeping in around him as he started to shiver. The sodden mess was almost even level with his shoulder now as he lay on the ground and everything underneath the beam was likely underwater as well. "God! The pipes are broken… it's filling up with water down here! Get somebody to turn the main off now!"

"Mitchell! MOVE! Get that water turned off NOW!" Renzulli ordered as he turned to one of his men who immediately rushed over to the first fire engine as it arrived and physically dragged one of its crew towards the building's utility hook up.

"Harvard, now you listen to me," Renzulli lowered his voice and turned his attention back again. He knew he needed to keep the kid calm first and foremost. "I've got a hose jockey shutting off the water right now. I promise that I'm gonna get you out of there. Do you believe me?" he asked.

"Yeah, Sarge," Jamie managed to breathe. His faith in his old partner was his only lifeline right now… that and George's light. He didn't even want to think about being down here through all of this in the dark.

"Good, now tell me where you are exactly."

"Center of main floor on the southwest side, I think," Jamie said as he tried to get his bearings from his position on the floor in the dim glow of George's flashlight. "How far from the outside wall, George?" he asked. "George help me! Please!"

"About thirty feet, sir," his rookie nervously answered.

"Thirty feet in, Sarge" Jamie relayed somewhat tiredly as he started to shake more. The water had suddenly ceased to run out of the broken pipes, but that had done nothing to rid them of the cold soupy, muddy wetness that had now permeated the area and he was finding himself sandwiched directly against it. Hypothermia was suddenly becoming a real threat. "Sarge, I'm wet… and it's getting really cold down here..."

"Rescue just drove up, they're pulling their gear," Renzulli assured, still fishing for information. "Just hang tight… I'm gonna get them in there right now to help you. I promise. Anywhere near those two small ventilation windows?" the older sergeant continued to pry as he stalked around the side of the building with his flashlight looking for an unobstructed entryway to get into the basement.

"I don't know… I can't see," Jamie replied unevenly as his fear and frustration mounted while his breathing started to become quick and shallow with panic. "Oh God, I feel sick! Sarge, please call my dad… I need to talk to him!"

"Yes! I see them!" George responded enthusiastically as he ignored his partner's angst for a moment and scrambled over to the side while flashing his light against the outside wall. He had finally managed to get ahold of himself and it was obvious from the change in Jamie's demeanor that he needed more help to communicate now. "They're not very big though, someone will need to be really skinny or small to shimmy through."

"LET'S GO! Get these bars cut off the windows!" Renzulli shouted to the fire crew. "Get a saw over here! NOW! We might be able to get someone in this way!" he said waving his hands urgently. He paused for a second and took a deep breath as he saw the familiar black SUV pull up to the curb, followed immediately by another RMP. Judging from the speed they both slid in at, there was no doubt who was on board. "Jamie, your dad's here now, kid. Eddie too. I'll get them on the line to you in just a second. Hang in there," he begged as he prepared to deliver the news that no father ever wanted to hear to one of the most powerful men in the city.

* * *

 _So things are not looking great at the moment for our two favorite officers from the 3-5. Who's gonna step in and come up with a plan to get them out? Next up, Frank and Eddie arrive on scene and another old friend returns to help._


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Any number of hands snapped to attention as Frank Reagan stepped out of his vehicle and hurried over towards the older sergeant with Eddie and Wilson trailing close behind. Every single officer from Jamie's platoon at the 3-5 that could be spared was present as their sergeant and another one of their own fought to come out of that basement; everyone that was but a lone member with the last name of Michael. The air was cold enough to show each single breath in sharp outline as they approached and the temperature was dropping with every minute that passed. "As you were," the Commissioner ordered before Renzulli had a chance to proceed with formality. "What's their situation?" he asked as Rick Fellows once again stepped up to the command group as the lead rescue man.

"Sir, as you can see we've had an explosion and building collapse. Sergeant Reagan and Officer Mahoy were in the basement at the time conducting a search for an armed suspect reported to have entered the structure. We are in radio contact with both. Mahoy appears to be unhurt, but Jamie is…"

"Sergeant Reagan's situation is _what?"_ Frank demanded with a hollow voice. His heart had been pounding wildly since the phone went dead while he was on the line with his son and the report of the 10-66 and 10-13 rolled in immediately thereafter. It didn't take a genius to figure out where Jamie and his partner were.

"Trapped under debris, sir," Renzulli answered with dread. "Officer Mahoy reports that he's pinned under a beam up to his chest." He stopped as Eddie gasped and Wilson steadied her before continuing. "They're somewhere near the center of this area over here but I think we can get access through these ventilation openings. The fire guys are cutting through the bars now. There's one other thing though," he added. "There were pipes busted in the collapse and several inches of water flooded the floor before we could get the main turned off. Jamie's laying down soaked in that wet now, and with these temperatures..."

An exceptionally thinly-built man, Rick eyed the small, narrow openings with trepidation. "Not Reagan again," he sighed. "God, that's gonna be tight," he said as he shook his head and started pulling off his coat and gear belt. "I might make it in if I wiggle, but my partner won't get close," he muttered. "I could really use another hand and we'll never get him out that way if he's hurt and needs to be on a board. We're going to have to cut through that foundation wall and open it up."

The fire chief on scene had walked up in the meantime. "That's four feet of reinforced concrete, Rick," he said, shaking his head. "That's gonna take some time to blade through and if we're not careful we might bring what's left of this whole side of the building down on top of us. Nothing looks stable here."

"It's gotta be done," Rick said as he had stripped down to his t-shirt and thin duty pants, the fire crew had nearly finished cutting through the remaining bars. "If what they've said is true we don't have time to get access another way. You said he's pinned up to his chest?" he questioned Renzulli. "And he's talking? I'm gonna have to take a look before I'll know…" he continued.

"What are you thinking, Rick?" Frank questioned with a heavy fear that poisoned the hearts of everyone around him.

"Crush syndrome," the experienced rescue man mentioned with a worried gaze up at the PC. "When a victim is trapped under weight for a long enough period of time their muscles can start to break down…" he explained, "usually takes a few hours, sometimes less and they're stable until we lift the pressure off… if it's long enough then built up toxins get released and can cause hyperkalemia, that's too much potassium in the blood which causes cardiac arrhythmias. It's almost impossible to treat or prevent in the field. I'll talk to you, sir, once I see what the situation is. Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself."

"I'm going in too," Eddie insisted as she likewise started pulling off her coat and utility belt.

"Janko, that's not happening," Renzulli interjected as he put his hand on her arm before she could get any further. "There's no way in hell I'm gonna let you go down there. You're too close to this."

"Why?!" she snapped back at the sergeant. "Rick said he needs help and no one else here is going to make it through that opening!" she insisted. "Look around? Any of these other cops gonna fit? I'm going!"

"I'm probably going to need another set of hands," Rick agreed as the last set of heavy bars came off and the fire crew prepared to break through the glass. "Let her go… but you just listen to me in there no matter what. Got it?" he emphasized with a stern growl and a finger to the shoulder for emphasis as Eddie blinked and nodded after a heavy swallow. She continued to strip down to her turtleneck as Wilson grabbed her gear. Even with her smaller physique it was going to be a tight fit for her as well.

Renzulli reached for his radio. "Mahoy, you hear me?"

"Yeah, Sarge!"

"Stay clear of those vents, we've got a rescue crew coming in. They've cut through the bars and are gonna bust in the glass," he ordered. "Just wait a few more minutes. Now how's Reagan doing?"

"The same," the rookie reported. "It's getting cold down here though, I've tried covering him with my coat but it's not helping. He's really shivering now. We need to get him out of here fast!"

"Give me your radio," Frank ordered and Renzulli dutifully supplied the equipment. "Officer Mahoy, can your sergeant talk?"

"Yeah, Dad… I hear you," Jamie answered softly, this was no time for formality and his thoughts were starting to get muddled as the wet, cold ground sucked the heat out of his body with alarming speed. "Tell Eddie I love her..."

"You'll tell her yourself," Frank broke in and commanded with a sharp voice. He could sense with that comment that his son was in real trouble and the frightened father wanted nothing more than to crawl in that hole himself to pull him out and comfort him, but that was obviously not a real possibility given his towering six-four frame so this was the next best thing.

"Dad, you need to talk to George… please... when he gets out. I've… I've got some information for you... but it can't go out on the air. Talk to him? Promise?" Jamie could see his trainee tense up as the Police Commissioner's deep voice came over the air and affirmed the intention. The poor rookie was a classic claustrophobic and on top of the stress of kneeling here in a puddle in the middle of a dark space with the whole building caved down around them, now it looked like his dying training officer was sending him towards the biggest possible scary bad wolf to confess the ultimate sin that this had all been his fault. It was enough to make the young man want to stay here in this hellhole instead as he couldn't imagine what Frank Reagan's reaction was going to be when he found out that he was the one responsible for killing his son.

"I don't know what you want me to say, Sarge," George admitted as he crawled closer and sank down in defeat. "I'm so sorry… this is my fault! I froze because I was in the damn basement. I heard you calling but I just couldn't move! You didn't have to do that for me… you've got a family now. You should have stayed back!"

"You're a good cop," Jamie continued tiredly as if he hadn't even heard him. He wished he'd had this time with Vinny before his old partner had bled out after being shot in the Bitterman courtyard... time to say something more meaningful than it was just okay at the end. "Just learn to trust yourself… you can get over anything you're scared of. Partners always come first, George... remember that," he sighed as his head grew heavy and dropped back against the thick NYPD jacket that the rookie had tried to wrap him with. It was saturated by this point and offered no warmth at all. "Now you've gotta tell my dad about the things you found in the log book. Tell him he needs to look at Philip Michael and his uncle Jimmy. They're tied into the corruption in the legal department with Denison, I know it… His dad Walter and Jimmy were partners… I just haven't been able to figure out what they're up to. Too many retirements at the 3-5 maybe…" he sighed, "there's too many disability claims for stress. They're on the take somehow and I know they're linked in some way with that trial. He needs to call the FBI in. Tell him. You're good with numbers, George. Help my dad run the numbers. Jimmy Michael was involved in setting us up for what happened here tonight… it's not your fault. Tell my dad. Promise me."

Any further thoughts were interrupted by the sound of breaking glass and soon a familiar voice was cutting through the cold, raw air of the basement. "Reagan!" Rick Fellows called after he gingerly managed to squeeze himself through and land on his feet, pulling bags of gear down after him and pausing to slip on an insulated cover-all. "What's with you and this area, huh?" He asked as his headlamp split through the darkness and he climbed over the rubble while dragging his pack. "I swear if I get another call to haul your ass out of somewhere I'm gonna start billing you personally for an effing frequent flyer fee."

"I'll pay up, anything..." Jamie shuddered involuntarily with another violent chill. "Just get me... the hell out of here," he pleaded, looking at his friend for any sense of hope at this point.

"Jesus, you've done yourself in but good this time," Rick mouthed as he looked at the dire situation, and immediately second guessed his decision to let Eddie follow after him. He could already hear her coming through the high window behind them so it was too late to wave her off. From the chest down, Jamie was completely encased under a large beam and various other heavy debris. There was no way to know the state of his body beyond what they could see, and if anything shifted the wrong way more than a few inches it would literally cut him in two. It was possible that he was impaled or had suffered other serious crush injuries, or he could simply be snugged under the steel and would slide right out if they could raise it up a bit. What was obvious at this time is none of that was going to matter at all if they didn't move fast. Rick could already see without taking any vitals that Jamie was in an advanced stage one of hypothermia and headed directly for two while still laying in a bath of cold water as the surrounding temperature was dropping drastically. If he got to the third and most serious level while trapped down here, well there wouldn't be any reason to rush to get him out, that's for sure.

"You have any pain?" he asked as he started to pull out a cuff to get a blood pressure reading.

"A little... at first, breathing..." Jamie answered, knowing exactly what Rick was fishing for, "but not much now… can't really feel... I can't move anything." It was more than probable there was far more wrong with him than the obvious. He'd seen it himself before with a hundred different accident victims... the ones who were the last to realize the inevitable outcome while everyone else around them faced the grim truth with an optimistic mask. He was startled to see Eddie crawl into the circle of light and stare at him wide-eyed with shock evident in every single feature; he hadn't been expecting that at all. "Oh God, Ed!" he cried. "WHY? Please get out of here! I need you to take care of Kaylin for me now…"

"What about you?" Rick asked as he ignored the expected outburst and frowned at the low blood pressure reading while turning half his attention to George as he pulled out supplies to start an IV. There was another victim here after all, and one that he might be able to do something about.

"I'm fine," George started to explain. "Barely a scratch…"

"GET HIM OUT!" Jamie yelled as he struggled once more and his frustration level grew. He hated the fact that he was putting more people at risk and he wanted them all gone if this was just going to be a big exercise in futility. "He's claustrophobic and take Eddie with you! You shouldn't have Rick! YOU HAD NO RIGHT! She doesn't need to see this!"

"That's not up to you, Reagan. I'm in charge here now," Rick asserted loudly as he started setting up some more small lights to illuminate the area. "And if I'm gonna get you out I need help. Now what about you, George? You staying or going?"

"Staying," the rookie said evenly. "I can do it, sir."

"Good! Then both of you get back to the window over there, put some thermal suits on and start hauling that equipment here," Rick ordered. "I've got an idea and we don't have any time to waste!"

* * *

 _Way to step up there George Emery Mahoy! Next up, the big rescue starts to take shape and Frank breaks the news to Danny. Will Rick's plan work to get Jamie out in time?_


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

"You heading out soon, Reagan?" Lieutenant Carver called as she walked past his desk at the 5-4 precinct with her coat and bag in hand. Maria had left hours ago for a date and only a few stragglers from the first shift remained. "It's getting late. You should be home with your family on a wickedly cold night like this... I would if I had someone special to snuggle with."

"About there," he answered absentmindedly as he clicked through the open windows on his computer and logged out. "Just catching up on paperwork. Closed too many cases this week," he smiled smugly, while allowing for the fact that it was unlikely Linda would be looking to cuddle given their present status. It had been a very good week on the job though, and together with Baez the pair had managed to bag two felony collars and a carjacker. "I need to meet my brother downtown in a bit to do him a favor anyway. Just killing a little time until he goes on break." Mr. Gillespie had called late in the afternoon with the news Eddie's ring was finally ready but that the small family-owned store would be closed over the weekend. Jamie had been too anxious to wait to pick it up until Monday so had asked his brother to meet him there and take it home for safekeeping while he was on duty. What could be the final hearing for the adoption was scheduled to take place on Tuesday afternoon and Danny had his doubts that his little brother would be able to hold off on proposing for one second longer than he had to… not even with Christmas coming up in three weeks. The kid was about to burst into flames if he didn't let the secret out soon.

Danny was still smiling with that unknowingly ironic thought as he looked up at the time. It was 8:35 already and Jamie had told him that the business closed at nine sharp. It wasn't like him to cut things that close, but he was on the clock with George so it was possible they were out on a response. Maybe this would have to wait for next week anyway. Danny picked up his phone to call his brother, but frowned when it went immediately to voicemail. He was still pondering whether he should drive down to the store or head home when the device lit up in his hands with his father's caller ID just as Carver ran back into the room with a panicked look on her face as she grabbed the remote and flipped the big flat screen on.

"Hey, Dad, what's up?" Danny asked automatically as his eyes looked up in disbelief while images of flashing red and blue lights filled the monitor and a scrolling message threaded across the screen announcing a gas explosion and building collapse at that project down by the river. Well, that certainly explained where his brother was. It looked like just about every squad car and FDNY vehicle in the district was already there. Danny knew that site bordered the 12 and 3-5 precincts and was located not far from the very desk where he now sat. As the duty sergeant on shift, Jamie would surely have his hands full dealing with the incident for the rest of the night so a run to the jewelry story was looking pointless at this time. Eddie's ring would just have to wait.

"Danny," Frank's voice projected a calm measure with that one word, but his son could hear the chaos of an active scene in the background. His eyes glanced up at the television once more as a chill knifed through his chest. Suddenly he had no doubt as to where his father was at that precise moment, and if he was there and calling him after the threats that had been made against those precincts... no, it couldn't be… please God, no... not again...

"Danny, you need to come down here, son. It's your brother."

His brother. For a blissful few seconds Danny's brain rebelled and refused to let his mind be led down the path his father's call was directing him. All the surrounding sounds merged into a peaceful even hum so he could ignore the words that had no business being heard. His little brother was excited to be picking up an engagement ring tonight so that he could finally ask the woman of his dreams to marry him in some utterly sappy romantic way only that skinny bleeding heart kid from Harvard could come up with. His brother was about to officially become a father to a gorgeous little girl that had already stolen the heartstrings of everyone else in the family and was sure to cause her new daddy untold grief and joy throughout the years as she grew up in front of his eyes. His brother had just recently been promoted to sergeant and had a whole career ahead of him to challenge his skills and might ultimately lead him to follow in his grandfather and father's footsteps. His brother had already cheated death once this summer when he came down with that goddamned bout of pneumonia that had started all of this. His little brother was one of...

 _Two NYPD Officers Reported Trapped Under Debris_ scrolled across the screen in a sickening bold italic fashion, effectively ending his denial.

His little brother was somewhere underneath that effing huge pile of bricks and probably already dead or close to it at this point.

"I'll be there in ten minutes," Danny whispered numbly into his phone before he hung up, not even sure if his father was still on the line or had spoken one more word to him. None of it mattered now. He shrugged off Carver's offer of help in his attempt to find his coat and keys and blankly walked out of the squad room without another look or a thought towards calling anyone else. His entire focus was on driving down to that scene just to be there… to be close… while at the same time staving off the fear at what he was about to find. The Reagans had all been through this once before after all. Even the frigid blast of arctic air that was rolling in with the approaching storm front did nothing to spark another level of awareness as he pushed through the front doors of the 5-4 precinct in complete shock and made his way towards his car for the short drive down to the riverfront.

Danny's eyes were wide and his heart remained lodged in his throat just eight minutes later as he pulled up on scene and was forced to stop his car well down the street due the amount of emergency vehicles parked up and down the surrounding blocks. He quickly jumped out of his seat and started running, not bothering to close the door behind him. Seeing the response in person and not projected on a sterile, flat screen had finally rid him of the paralysis that had overtaken him and he was desperate to reach his father to find out what was happening.

###

Frank was nervously looking at his watch and pacing as he kept a close eye on everything from his current position at the designated command center. Everyone had been moved back for safety while several members of Engine 57 attacked the thick concrete foundation wall with diamond tipped saw blades. They were making progress in opening up the space between the two vent holes, but it was slow going. It had been more than fifteen minutes since Rick and Eddie had squirmed through the opening to attend to Jamie, and well over a half hour now since the initial collapse had been reported. His youngest son had been laying there trapped under tons of steel and brick in a deadly ice bath ever since, and there had been precious little chatter over the radio in the last few minutes. Suddenly the fire chief's hand raised from where he was spotting his men and the sound of the saws immediately ceased. After a few seconds Chief Johnson turned and waved Frank over. "Rick needs to speak to you, sir," he advised.

"What can you tell me?" Frank demanded after he hurried over and knelt down close to the opening. "Likely or not likely?" he asked, referring to the NYPD designation of whether a victim was likely to die or not. He vaguely heard Danny calling his name from somewhere behind at that point, but at this moment his attention was fixed solely on the man standing in the space below him. His oldest son was not to be ignored, however, and had pushed his way in and quickly slid to his knees on the ground next to him, remaining uncharacteristically silent as the shock of the situation overwhelmed him.

"He's still with us, sir, but likely I'm afraid," Rick was saying grimly as he paused to let the word sink in while Frank and Danny's hearts collapsed with utter disbelief. "I'll make this quick but his blood pressure and core temperature are dropping like rocks. I can't honestly tell you if that is strictly from the hypothermia or if he's bleeding out somewhere internally. The way he's situated we won't know how bad it is until we try to lift the beam off. It's gonna take us at least another twenty minutes to get things set up. We're placing some airbags to inflate, but there's been a lot of digging involved to get them positioned correctly and we need to have this vent area opened up to get him out quickly. I need to let you know what's going to happen. He'll probably be in stage three hypothermia by that point despite our best efforts to warm him. We've got a few small heaters blowing, but that won't do any good because three quarters of his body is buried in the cold mud. That, coupled with a sudden drop in pressure when we take that weight off is almost certainly going to send him into a serious cardiac arrhythmia, even if he doesn't have anything internal. If he's got any kind of crush injuries going on, it's going to stop his heart outright and there's very little chance we'll get it restarted. Hypothermia will buy us some time to get to the hospital as the cold will slow any organ damage if he's down for an extended period... it doesn't look good right now, though. Eddie is keeping him calm, but he's starting to slip away. If you want to speak to him it has to be now. Call her phone if you want it to be private. I'll need to intubate before long to control his airway." Rick shook his head before adding, "I'm sorry, I've got to get back," before disappearing into the darkness again, taking their hopes with him.

"Dad," Danny choked. "I need to be in there with him!"

"You can't, there's no way to get you down there," Frank said numbly as he stood up on shaky, stiff knees and pulled his oldest with him. They needed to let the firefighters get back to work opening up the hole so Jamie had a chance… "Get me on the line to Janko's cell!" he ordered as they returned to the command post. "I need to speak to my son!"

* * *

 _Next up, a very difficult conversation ahead for everyone involved as time winds down and Rick pulls all the stops to get Jamie out of there before it's too late, or is it already? Couple of tough chapters coming as this installment starts to wrap up, fair warning._


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Rick had barely returned to the area when the call came over Eddie's phone… Jamie's had long ceased to function as it lay smashed in a puddle where he had dropped it. "Help him talk to them... try to keep him awake," Rick told her as he resumed his digging in an effort to slide an airbag under the far portion of the beam closest to Jamie. They needed to place one on either side or risk twisting it and killing him outright. George had put aside any previous qualms about tight spaces and had tunneled under a pile of debris on the near side on the same mission, using his bare hands as necessary and wearing them down until they bled to pull bricks and other heavy chunks of material out of the way.

Jamie's body had long since given into violent shaking, and he had not tried to speak for the past several minutes as a result. He was alert but his thoughts were jumbling up as odd sensations of warmth overtook him and his vision started to wane. Now solidly into stage two, he had become ghostly pale as his body diverted all of it's resources inward. "Dad!" he gasped though as he heard the familiar deep voice calling his name when Eddie put the phone on speaker and held it close to him.

"Be strong, son," Frank implored as he fought to control his emotions. "Danny's here too. We've just spoken to Rick, and he's working on a way to get you out. You just need to hold on a little longer. They're almost there."

"Dad… pr-promise me," Jamie pleaded as he stuttered along slowly and painfully, taking everything he had to form and project cognizant thoughts. "Promise me you'll take c-care of K-kaylin and k-keep her in the family... please!"

"Kaylin's already family, son, she'll stay with us... I assure you. But she needs you to be her father so you better get yourself out of this. That adoption is almost final, and it takes a lot to raise a little one like that these days. Your grandfather and I don't have the energy anymore."

"Try'in…" Jamie sputtered. "Ed's n-not s-supposed to b-be d-down h-here."

"Harvard!" Danny yelled in frustration as he sensed from the tone that his little brother might have lost most of his fight. "Don't you _dare_ give up now or I will personally dig my way in there and kick your ass all the way back out! Do you understand?"

"Yeah," Jamie almost managed a tiny involuntary smirk. "Love you… t-too, Dan," he added as his eyes closed. Eddie had been softly running her hand along the side of his face as he was talking and he wanted to savor that feeling even as he began to shake harder. He had so much to tell her… so many plans…

"Ed, g-guess what I g-got y-you for C-christmas…"

"No, I don't want to know what my Christmas present is, Reagan!" she answered as she set the phone down on a nearby ledge and left the line open knowing that his father and brother were desperate to hear Jamie's voice. "You're going to surprise me, right? Now don't go ruining anything! Please baby, don't try to talk if it's too hard… you need to save your strength!"

"It's ok-kay, I feel warm-er. N-nothing h-hurts anym-more."

 _Shit, he's heading into stage 3,_ Rick shook his head as he listened and redoubled his efforts nearby, desperately trying to come up with a way to stave off the impending crisis. Something in his military field training clicked but he wasn't sure it would work.

"I g-got us t-tickets to g-go see S-spencer b-between t-the h-holidays. G-going t-to t-the b-beach for K-kaylin. It's w-warm there. I pr'mised her. H-his house is s-so n-nice."

"Okay, if you want to talk about the beach, we can do that." Eddie replied soothingly, anything at this point to keep him awake and focused, especially if it was about some place nice that he was looking forward to.

"I w-want t-to s-surf."

"Surf?!" she exclaimed as she continued to rub his cheek, his face felt like ice now. "Reagan, like you would know how to do that! What does Spencer call you? A classic ECCB… east coast city boy? You're not exactly surfer dude material."

"I c-can t-too k-know h-how. Y-you'll s-see."

"Okay, well I hate to break up this little lovebird-fest now but we need to buy some time," Rick interrupted as he crawled back over to explain. He didn't like the speed at which things were headed. "We're going to try a warm gastric lavage to keep his core temperature up. I need another kit and get some of those saline bags heated!" he ordered into his radio.

"10-4, Rescue 8. Three minutes for the first bag," the reply came.

"What's that? What are you going to do to him?" Eddie asked tearfully as she watched Rick start to pull more supplies out of his pack.

"George, go wait by the window and get that bag in here from the ambulance crew as soon as they have it heated… careful with it... should be pretty warm," Rick ordered as he pulled a long plastic piece out of a wrapper along with a tube of lubricant. "We're going to run this large bore cannula through his nose and down into his stomach and keep pumping warm saline in to try to raise his temperature from the inside out."

"Got it!" George called from the other side of the space a few minutes later as he started to scramble back over the debris field.

Eddie's eyes went wide as she watched Rick quickly and rather forcibly turn Jamie's head to the left and pin his arms down with a knee as he started to slide the tubing in. "Okay, Reagan… pretty sure you're gonna hate me for this but I gotta do it, bud. Just try to relax and swallow. C'mon, you can do it, just swallow now," he said as he forced it in while Jamie started choking. "That's it now, I'm all done. It's in, you did good. Come here Eddie," Rick commanded as he taped things in place. "Now hold this bag up and squeeze until the contents run in and then wait a few minutes and lower it down here and use the suction to pull it back out. You're gonna switch this out with a new warmed bag and start all over as often as possible, alright? Good," he added as she nodded and took over while he resumed his efforts to dig in and place the airbags.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered as she followed Rick's orders. "I feel like we're torturing you," she added while watching as Jamie's eyes became progressively more glazed and unfocused.

"I can t-teach you... you know," he rasped quietly in short, ragged breaths as his mind slipped back into their previous conversation. "You've just... got-ta learn how t-to... pick out the right w-wave… then it's easy… there's g-gon-na be f-fire-works t-too… Spence h-helped me."

"Okay, okay," she cajoled. She would have promised to go walk on the moon at that moment if it meant they were going to be able to get him out of there. "I swear we will go to the beach and I'll try to learn how to surf. You can teach me. But I'm really scared of those big great whites they have out there in California, Jamie. Have you ever watched Shark Week? They put GPS tags on and name them so they know which one had you for lunch! If I hear anything about that between now and then my toes will not leave the sand!"

"Don't... 'mm not… afraid..."

"That's good," she cried openly now, wiping her tears with the back of her hand as she squeezed that damn bag into him for all she was worth. "Don't be afraid, lambchop." Outside, still listening on the open line, Renzulli, Wilson, Frank and Danny all felt their knees wobble and go weak as they recognized what was happening; Jamie was starting to say goodbye. He had run out of time.

"Ed... I w'nt... you to t-take Kaylin... to the b-beach," he slurred.

"I know, baby… and _we_ will, okay? _We're_ gonna take her there together to go see her Uncle Spencer after Christmas. I promise. He'll get a real kick out of it when she calls him that," she replied as a mask of confusion came over his face and he lost his place in the conversation. "Jamie, you told me... we already have the tickets. I can't wait to see her out there playing in the sand. She's gonna love it!" she added loudly trying to keep his attention. "George! I need another bag, please!"

"P'ease t-take her to… beach, Ed... It's w-warm there..." he managed before growing suddenly quiet again.

"Rick! I think it's working!" Eddie shouted with excitement a few minutes later after the second bag started to go in. "He's stopped shivering! That's good right?"

"NO, NO, NO! That's bad! DAMN IT!" Rick cursed as he rushed back over and noted the blue tinge now highlighting Jamie's features. "He's going into stage 3 now. He must be below 89 degrees. We've gotta watch his pulse and respirations. Anything below 86 and he'll fibrillate or go into tachycardia and I won't be able to do anything about it! We've gotta get this done now!" he exclaimed. "Get that backboard over here! George! Where're you at with the second airbag?"

"Got it!" the rookie declared as he pulled himself out of the mud after having crawled back under the debris pile without a second thought and digging vigorously for several minutes while Eddie had been preoccupied with the lavage bag. "It's in place and clear!"

"Alright, let's get set," Rick ordered as he took another look at his patient and observed his eyes starting to roll back in his head. "Hey! REAGAN!" he yelled loudly, making Eddie flinch in fear. "NO! YOU'RE NOT QUITTING ON ME NOW!" he said as he reached over and gave him a vigorous sternal rub.

"Ow," Jamie mouthed as his lips continued to turn a deeper shade of blue.

"YEAH, WELL THAT WAS A REALLY WIMPY 'OW'!..." Rick barked at the top of his lungs like the Marine he once was. "C'mon you can say it louder than that! LET'S HEAR IT! Listen buddy I'm gonna do that to you again if you even think about checking out on us! Don't make me hurt you! Got it? We're almost ready to go. In a few minutes I'm gonna give you something in your IV to make you really sleepy, and your family will be waiting outside when you wake up. Do you understand?"

"Yeah," Jamie mumbled as he strained to breathe and keep his eyes from sliding shut. "Get'er out of here Rick… got be there… for K-kay… not see… pr'mise."

Rick nervously looked at Eddie. He knew exactly what his friend wanted. There was a chance when that beam shifted that things around them might destabilize and rain down more debris. More likely though no matter what they did to prepare when that weight lifted off of Jamie's body it would almost certainly shut down in shock one way or another from a sudden drop in his already low blood pressure. It would just be a matter of whether there was internal bleeding and if they could restart his heart and get him back afterwards. Eddie didn't have to be there for any of that.

"I promise, bud. I'll make sure she's out of here and safe before we go any further."

"I'm not leaving him!" Eddie whispered defiantly as the tears fell in rapid succession now. It was time to play the last card and everyone knew what the consequences might be.

"Yes you will," Rick said as he pulled the last supplies needed from his depleted medical pack. Jamie had taken just about everything he had to make it this far. The last things left were a bottle of strong sedative, an intubation tube and an Ambu bag. "You need to make sure you're there for someone else now," he said softly before turning his attention back to Jamie and raising his voice. "Okay, Reagan, man… we're ready to do this and get you out of here. I'm gonna give you something to knock you out and put in a breathing tube, or it might hurt like hell when we move you because it's gonna have to be fast. I promise I'll get Eddie out then before we pump up the bags and lift that beam off of you, okay? She'll be safe. I'm gonna see you on the other side of this, bud. You owe me a beer for this one and I plan to collect. Got it?" Jamie nodded almost imperceptibly and raised his right hand slightly for Rick to grasp.

Eddie sucked back her sobs as she leaned down and rested her forehead against him. "I love you Jamison Reagan. Now you fight!" she begged. "You fight to come out of this for Kaylin and me!"

"Pr'mise," he mouthed as Rick reached over and injected the drug into the IV. "T-take… Kay… l-uv you…" He slurred before everything stilled.

"NOW GET OUT!" Rick ordered as he pushed Eddie hard off to the side and quickly inserted the tube into Jamie's throat, checking to see that it was in place before he attached the bag to begin forcing air into his lungs. "George!"

"I'm staying!" the young man vowed as he looked at the medic squarely in the eye. "He's my partner! You're gonna need my help to carry him anyway." George reached over and forcibly pulled a stunned Eddie to her feet and began half-dragging, half-pushing her to the window as she fought against him. "C'mon, you need to get out of here... we promised him! Let us do this!" he ordered. "She's coming out!" he yelled as he lifted her up unceremoniously still kicking while hands reached down from above and quickly pulled her through the enlarged opening with little fanfare. There would be just enough room to slide Jamie out on the backboard once he was freed.

Eddie found herself immediately picked up and pulled to the side once she came through the hole. Someone quickly placed a heated blanket around her and just as suddenly she was wrapped up tight in an unyielding pair of strong arms. Frank Reagan had her now and was not letting go even though she continued to cry out and struggle to go back. The two stood off to the side with Danny, Wilson and Renzulli and prayed as they heard Rick give the order to inflate the bags. Everyone held their breath as a few loose bricks cascaded down from the broken facade of the building and shouting could be heard from inside. Within a minute, the yellow backboard was seen at the window as Rick and George pushed it through to the medics and firemen who quickly placed it on the waiting stretcher. "He went into V-tach before we lost his pulse!" Rick shouted as he pulled himself through the opening and George quickly followed behind. "Charge those paddles and get him converted!"

"Asystole!" the first medic confirmed as she started chest compressions while the second bagged him and hit a button on the waiting equipment. "Charging to 200!"

Eddie's knees went weak as she watched Jamie's limp body jump with the surge of electricity. Nothing changed as Rick took over and frantically continued CPR while they tried again… and again… and again... as everyone looked on in disbelief. Her world slowly greyed out and became silent as the faces of the officers gathered around blurred and the sounds and colors of the night's scene faded with every passing second that he was gone until there was nothing left.

* * *

 _So what do you think? Is this the end of Jamison Henry Reagan as we know and love him? Remember chaos theory as things get bumped around, hmm?… You all think I would never, ever right?… the next chapter might surprise you, I'm just sayin'!_


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter 40

The warm California sun danced across the sparkling waves as Eddie wiggled her toes in the soft sand from her spot in the comfortable beach chair under a floppy hat while she watched protectively as Kaylin carefully unpacked her buckets and shovels and prepared herself to create something that only a two-year-old could imagine. The soft sounds of the gulls and the nearby breaking waves were soothing and served as a much needed salve to a couple of hearts in desperate need of repair.

Eddie glanced over and smiled as she spotted movement in her peripheral vision and watched as a handsome man approached from the house dressed in board shorts and a loose filmy white button up shirt. He was carrying a tray full of drink mixes, fresh fruit and juice boxes and he laughed as the little girl spotted him and dropped her toys to run over excitedly.

"Uncle 'pence!" she cried as she latched onto him and held on while he walked her stiff legged across the sand, still carefully balancing his wares and determined not to spill too much.

"You look like a natural, Spencer," Eddie smiled as she watched the confirmed bachelor successfully deal with the toddler's onslaught as he managed to set the tray down on the table with minimal trouble. "Hailey's still single too you know."

"Yeah, well, I'm not sure if I'm grown up enough to be trusted with one of these, yet," he grinned as he picked Kaylin up and twirled her around before carefully putting her down and watching as she scampered back off to her sandy missions. "Jamers, though... I can totally picture him loving every minute of that," he said as a lump rose in both of their throats. "Ahem," he said as he cleared his to go on. "I ah, brought a pitcher of margaritas, with salt," he added with a small sad smile. "Figured it wouldn't hurt to sit out here and get a little drunk. I'm really glad that you decided to come out after the holiday anyway with everything that's happened. I would have completely understood if you had stayed home," he added as he adjusted the umbrella and joined her in the adjacent chair.

"No, it's been good for us," Eddie mused as she watched the little girl play. "We needed to get away from all of it. Everything's out of our hands now anyway. Jamie was so excited about bringing Kaylin out here to the beach to see you. He made all the plans and made me promise…" she paused as the words caught in her throat once more. "It was all he could talk about before he… you know… before they pulled him out of that basement. I promised and couldn't disappoint him after that. We had to come."

"I always knew he wanted to kiss you," Spencer muttered almost to himself as he looked out over the crashing waves. "From that very first night at the bar. I could tell… the way he looked at you. The two of you were meant to be together." A successful venture capitalist now, Spencer still envied his old Harvard roommate's calling and strong family ties even though they were sitting behind his beautiful big house on one of the most exclusive beaches in all of Southern California. _Money can't buy everything,_ he thought to himself sadly.

The pair were quiet for a time as they reflected on his statement and watched while a small number of surfers took to the breaking water as a soft breeze kicked up around them. One lone figure in particular caught Eddie's eye as he paddled out from a nearby jetty. She watched with interest as he turned and addressed a wave, only to quickly fall and go under before he even managed to stand up. "That guy's not too good, is he?" she asked as she drew Spencer's attention towards the right to the man dressed in a dark wetsuit now pulling himself back on his board and turning to paddle back out.

"That guy?" he smiled as he looked up and squinted to see. "I've been watching him do this a long time. He usually manages to pull out a good one, it just takes him a while. Maybe he's out of practice, you know… sometimes it takes a bit to find your legs before you're strong enough to stand up again." He paused before adding, "There's a gal that lives a few houses down that gives lessons if you're interested."

"Jamie swore he would teach me, but I don't want to try now… not after everything… I'm just not up for it," she admitted quietly. The past few weeks had been too much to take and her nerves were frayed. There was no adrenaline left in store for any kind of new adventures like that.

"So I only caught bits and pieces afterwards," Spencer continued. "But they nailed all the sons of bitches that were responsible for what happened to him, right? Last I heard there was some kind of big dramatic takedown at the courthouse?"

"Yes," Eddie answered as she scanned the quiet shoreline and thought back to the events of nearly a month ago. "From what George said when he talked to Frank afterwards, Jamie had figured most of it out and named the main players. When they brought in the FBI and ran the numbers for the departments like he told them too, it all pointed to a big corruption scheme between Denison in legal, his dad Walter, who was a retired cop, and the two Michaels on the job, Philip and his uncle Sergeant Jimmy. Walter was coaching early retirees from the 3-5 and a few other precincts on how to scam the process and get full benefits from social security and the NYPD by adding stress as a disability and Denison would push them through the system. They were all taking kickbacks and planning a big score for fifteen million dollars with that false wrongful injury lawsuit against the department. They even suspect them for killing Philip's partner Alvin Gibson to keep him quiet, but no one can prove it. Danny got to arrest Denison in court, though," she smiled. "He really loved that. Walter later confessed to setting the charges that brought the building down on Jamie and George… he had explosives training in the army and they knew the two of them were getting close to figuring out what was going on. Jimmy Michael was the one that sent them into that unit on purpose and waited to set it off," she added sadly. "We were just lucky that Walter didn't do such a good job or everything would have come down at once and destroyed all the evidence. There was less propane left in the tanks than he was counting on because the weather was so cold it was used up so the blast was smaller. Jamie wouldn't have had a chance to tell anyone how to figure it out otherwise. They're all facing the maximum life in prison on all types of Federal and state charges."

"And George?" Spencer asked. "He managed to come out of it without a scratch?"

"Physically," Eddie nodded. "He still felt terribly guilty for freezing when Jamie told him to get out of the basement and blamed himself for what happened. He was ready to quit the department. Frank was so impressed though with his genius math skills that he transferred him into the statistical department in CompStat at 1PP. He's one of the youngest officers ever appointed there and he won't have to be out on the street anymore. Frank… he knew how important it was to Jamie to make sure his partner was taken care of. George is a good guy… from what I've heard he's doing great… finally found his groove and believe it or not he's started dating Addison. They ran into each other a few times after everything and hit it off. She's just promised to never ask him to go spelunking," she added with a small half-hearted laugh.

"Hey, look!" Spencer pointed as he watched the surfer catch a decent wave for a few feet before tumbling off again. He wondered if the man would appreciate knowing he had an interested audience right now.

"Oh, bummer," Eddie sighed.

"Don't worry; he won't quit."

"You were always a good friend to us, Spencer," she added as her eyes were drawn back to Kaylin. The little girl was doing her best at the moment to make a snowman out of the sand. The cold, white weather back in New York the past few weeks had afforded lots of opportunities to play in the backyard at Frank's house with Jack and Sean, and they had been charged with trying to teach her the finer points of snow art as a means of distraction while the adults had been preoccupied dealing with the sad details surrounding everything else. At the moment, the toddler had given up trying to go vertical with the sand for obvious reasons and was making a series of mounds on the ground. "What are you building, baby?" Eddie asked as Spencer looked on.

"Sandman," Kaylin answered with a bit of frustration in her voice as she struggled against the uncooperative elements. "Can Jammie come help? _P'ease?"_

"No," Eddie replied as her heart fell to the bottom of her soul as she looked at the little girl who had already lost more than anyone else in this and she took a heavy swallow. "Honey, remember what we talked about before? Jamie's not here now… he went away, baby. How about if Uncle Spencer and I come over?"

"No," Kaylin responded unhappily as she turned her back and set about her efforts once more. "I want Jammie."

"So how totally unfair is that," Spencer sighed as the words caught in his throat and his eyes misted up while he watched the little girl. "First she winds up with a real winner of a mother that could care less about her and goes off and nearly gets them both killed, and then somebody makes it their own personal mission to take away the best thing that could have ever happened to her," he added. "It's just not right. Her and Jay… the two of them should be together," he said, shaking his head. "If I had the power to do one thing in my life I would make that happen..."

"Me too," Eddie sighed as her attention went back out to the dogged surfer off the point. He had fallen once more and was determinedly paddling back out. "I guess he's still not ready to give up," she mused as her mind suddenly flashed back on those words.

" _C'mon, don't give up, Reagan!" Rick Fellows was shouting as he and the medics tried to revive Jamie outside of that collapsed building while a whole contingent of NYPD officers surrounded their fallen brother in blue with George, Renzulli, Eddie, Wilson, Danny, the Police Commissioner and his full detail looking on in dread. Fellows himself had been a decorated Marine and a combat medic before joining the FDNY and was a veteran of situations like this… he was not about to let anyone quit without a fight and he quickly dismissed the young paramedic who suggested it was over after several rounds of shocks had failed to produce a heart rhythm. "He's not dead until he's warm and dead! We're taking him in now!" Rick had bellowed as he continued CPR and they loaded the gurney on the ambulance for the short drive to St. Victor's. A line of RMPs had escorted the vehicle and blocked every single intersection so they could make it there in just minutes. At that point the horror of watching what was happening had been replaced by the absolute gut-wrenching silence of the waiting room walls as those close to Jamie had gathered to hear the sad news. Erin rushed there straight from the family home in Bay Ridge where she had been keeping Henry company for the night during his extended babysitting duties. No one could bring themselves to speak to her at that point as she came in clutching Kaylin while helping her grandfather along. The sadness in everyone's eyes had been enough by then and words were not necessary._

 _Eddie remembered sitting in a chair alone in the corner, leaning forward with her elbows on her muddy knees and covering her eyes while her head and heart threatened to implode after Wilson promised to give her a few minutes to herself before she felt a presence alight in the chair next to her and put a soft hand on her shoulder. It was Addison Greene. She had been on duty and was called down to assist in the emergency before Dr. Holden had dismissed her for obvious reasons and sent her out of the room._

" _I just came out to let you know he's still fighting," Addie had said softly. "They haven't given up yet. He's tough and he's gonna come back for you, I know it," she assured with a smile. "You realize I never stood a chance with him, don't you? His heart was taken from the start. He's a good friend though and I'm so happy he has you and Kaylin. Eddie, you just gotta believe in him now..."_

"Do you believe in fate, Eddie?" Spencer's voice rocked her back to the present. "I mean do you think that some things are just destined to be or is it more like chaos theory where something as seemingly inconsequential as a butterfly flapping its wings could set off a chain of events that leads to a hurricane?" He was still watching Kaylin intently and thinking about everything still swirling around the little girl. "I mean if Jamie hadn't made that one traffic stop, or met Addison and picked up those ropes that day. If he had just been standing in a slightly different spot like George when that building came down… everything might be totally different now."

"I believe it's both," she whispered after some thought. "Maybe add in faith as well. So many things had to happen to bring us all together, and yet I feel like in a way that Kaylin would have come into our lives at some point in time no matter what."

"Well I have faith," Spencer griped. "I have faith in Frank Reagan right now. There's no way that he's gonna let that Adams woman from CPS swoop in and take Kaylin away from the family just because Jamie had an accident on the job and you couldn't have that final court date. I mean, who does she think she is?" he seethed. "People get in accidents all the time coming and going from work and that doesn't give someone grounds to come in and take your kids away! What's her problem? It's Christmastime for God's sake, the scrooge! Doesn't she want to see this little girl wind up in a great family that wants her? She'd rather have her back in the system? There has to be more to it than that. She gives a really bad name to all those good social workers out there that bust their butts to help out those kids out every day."

"She was against Jamie from the start," Eddie sighed as she checked her phone again for the hundredth time that hour, hoping to see a certain message come through. "She's a real stickler for regulations and just hated the fact that he took her into court for an extension and won that first day. She's tried to throw up roadblocks at every point since claiming that he could never provide a stable home and now that he was at the last part of the adoption process, well she's using what happened to him to make a final objection since that hearing had to be cancelled. There was a fifteen business day window she could file in, that's up tomorrow. Frank's pulled out all the big guns and hired some kind of family law specialist to back him up so we're still waiting to hear. He promised Jamie that Kaylin would stay with us no matter what..." A few unfallen tears welled up in her eyes. "He sent us out here in the meantime since there was nothing else to do and it was making me crazy… I mean if something happens and they take her away… it was so important to Jamie that she had the chance to play on the beach and meet you… we just had to come while we had the chance."

As if on cue, Eddie's phone came to life in that instant with the message she had been praying to see, " _Operation KaR final! Adams resigned. CPS not contesting. Papers in hand! 119,"_ it read.

"Oh my God! Thank you Jesus! LOOK!" She yelled as she showed the screen to Spencer who puzzled a little over the message's meaning while acknowledging that it must be fantastic news anyway judging from her great excitement while she jumped to her feet and looked out over the water, waving her hat and suddenly desperate to share the result they had all been praying for.

"Hey, do you see that! HE'S UP!" Eddie shouted as she watched the lone surfer pick out a huge swell and step up into a large curl ahead of the face, easily gliding forward through the foaming break as if he were flying. "HE DID IT!" she cried and clapped as she found herself cheering wildly for him.

"I told you he could pull it off!" Spencer laughed as they watched the resolute, yet exhausted man ride all the way into the beach before jumping off the board to collapse and lay down spread eagle on his back in the warm sand in front of them, determined never ever to take that feeling for granted again.

"Look Kaylin, who is that?!" Eddie called to the little girl as she ran over and kneeled down beside her. "C'mere sweetness, I want to tell you something," she said before leaning in and whispering quickly into the toddler's ear and pointed towards the prone surfer a few yards up the beach. "Go ahead!" she encouraged with a huge smile.

Kaylin eagerly looked up and grinned as she ran towards the man as fast as two little legs could go in the sand. "DADDY!" she yelled for the first time ever in her young life. "DADDY, I HERE!" she exclaimed.

Hearing that sweet voice coming up behind him, Jamie quickly rolled over on his stomach and got up to his knees before she arrived and he swept the little one off her feet in a big hug. He caught Eddie's eyes as she followed closely behind. "It's final?" he asked breathlessly as he stood up. He had been adamant about not jinxing the process by having her call him by that name before it was set in stone. "You're sure?!"

"Your dad just confirmed!" she replied excitedly with her whole expression sparkling. They had all been holding their collective breaths for weeks now, ever since Jamie's accident. "He has the papers in his hand! They're not contesting the order and Adams resigned! Kaylin Elizabeth is an official Reagan now!" she squealed as she jumped up against him and they both embraced the little one and showered her in kisses. The middle name had been decided on as a way to honor her new Pop Pop's beloved Betty.

Spencer was also laughing as he arrived and bear-hugged his good friend, mindful of some still-tender ribs. "Way to go, dad," he smiled as he ruffled his buddy's wet hair and smacked the side of his face. "And you actually pulled a good one off on that wave out there… not bad for an east coast city boy! Now I'm going to the house to get an insanely expensive bottle of champagne so we can do this right!" he added as he started to make his way up to the sand dune before turning back to watch the happy trio splash each other and play around at the water's edge while he thought about how close this moment had been to never happening at all. Fate trumps chaos theory he decided. "Figures he'd get out of something like that with nothing worse than the sniffles and a whole bunch of bruised ribs," he said, shaking his head, hoping that Jamie's luck would never run out. "Operation KaR," he smirked under his breath as he watched them. "Kaylin's a Reagan. Well she won't be the only one soon," he muttered as he looked at Eddie. "That's for sure."

* * *

 _So did I have you thinking for at least a little while that Jamie was really gone instead of all the angst being about Kaylin's adoption being finalized? I hope so! lol. I loved bringing Uncle 'pence in with such a role and I know Eddie's line to Kaylin about Jamie going away was a killer... I teared up when I read it too! He was just being a good dad though, and didn't want her to try to follow him out in the water while he surfed so he told her he was leaving for a little bit. Bah!_

 _Just for full disclosure, the original outline of this piece had George dying in that basement as it completely collapsed on him when he was the last man out, but I just couldn't bring myself to off him in the end after I grew to love the character and he has so much to offer, so I gave him a virtual home at CompStat so he could be happy and pop back in once in a while and hey, Addie deserved someone nice too! I was also **this** close to a final series chapter where we did lose our beloved Jamie, and Eddie and Spencer went on to raise Kaylin, but then I got an idea for the next installment and had to continue for at least one more round. You're welcome. :-)_

 _The last chapter will wrap things up and explain a little more about how we got here while taking our Jamko pair on to the next level of their relationship in this second series._


	41. Chapter 41

_Here it is, the last chapter for this installment. I wasn't sure it would work when I started this second series track and it proved to be a fun challenge. Thanks for staying for the whole ride! :-)_

* * *

Chapter 41

New Year's Eve marked the last night in California before Jamie, Eddie and Kaylin were scheduled to fly back to New York the following morning. Spencer had made reservations at a trendy exclusive restaurant only a mile or so up the beach and the four of them shared a delicious meal in a stunning atmosphere as the dining room was set out over the ocean with expansive views of a most breathtaking sunset. It felt a little odd for Jamie and Eddie not to be in the middle of the crowd at Times Square that evening, as they had drawn duty there in each of the years they had been paired together, but this was certainly a memorable way to spend the occasion and Kaylin kept them all entertained with her stories and observations. Now out of her shell, she was the belle of the ball and the delight of the room the whole evening… staying up way past her normal bedtime, and decked out in a sparkling soft gold sleeveless dress with a sequin bodice, and a full tulle skirt. Adele Renzulli had been hard at work again coming up with the perfect outfit for what she knew would be a special occasion.

Just after eleven, Kaylin started winding down and Spencer offered to drive her back and put her to bed while Jamie and Eddie took their shoes off and went for one last walk on the beach back to the home. There were fireworks scheduled to go off just beyond the point at midnight and he assured them that the view would be spectacular from the lounge chairs he'd set up on the dune. The air was crisp with a soft breeze blowing, but the sand felt warm to their bare feet as they held hands and enjoyed the time alone together.

Eddie looked stunning in a simple blue patterned sundress and Jamie was dressed smartly in an oxford shirt and now rolled up dockers. She stared at his tanned and relaxed expression as he was laughing and her heart was filled with such relief and joy as she remembered how different he had appeared that night at the hospital just hours after a harried but thankful ER doctor had come out to give them the news his heart had restarted in a normal rhythm as his body warmed, and that the scans had shown miraculously there were no signs of any internal injuries beyond painful heavy bruising. The family had been permitted to go back and see him as soon as he had been moved to the ICU, but the numbers dwindled after they were assured he was stable and everyone assumed that he would sleep through the night from the drugs he had been given. Frank, Danny and Erin had hurried off... there were important things that needed to be done right away while Henry returned home with Kaylin and the boys. Linda and Nicki stayed for company but had taken a break a few hours later to go down to the cafeteria while Eddie remained and continued to sit with him. She had dozed off leaning forward in a chair after laying her head down on the bed before she felt a small squeeze on her hand. Looking up she was met with a tired, expressionless face and a pair of haunting, utterly blank hazel eyes staring back at her.

" _Hey," he'd rasped quietly, still looking quite drugged and out of it. "'m... thirsty."_

" _Oh, Jamie," she sighed as she quickly stood up to put a hand on his face and kiss his warm forehead. "I'm so happy you've come back," she murmured quietly before reaching for a cup and helping him take a few sips through a straw._

" _Me too... I think," he tried to joke before the pain began to flare through his chest with a few deeper breaths as he woke further out of the stupor. "Oh… ow, God... that... hurts," he grimaced as it took a few seconds to regroup. "How… how bad?" he questioned as the worry about the numbness he'd felt the whole time he was pinned came to the forefront, although given his current state maybe that had been a blessing in disguise._

" _Just nasty bruises," she quickly assured. "The doctor said you were so lucky, you didn't even break one bone, can you believe that? Nothing serious internally either. Rick said everything must have fallen just right to keep most of the weight from that beam off of you and we got you out in time before that other crush stuff could set in. They're just going to keep you here for a few days or so under observation to control your pain and to run some tests to make sure everything else is fine with your heart. How do you feel?"_

" _Hurts... like hell," he said his mouth twisted into a tight line as he panted a bit. "Like a building fell on me... and a bunch of people decided to… jump up and down on my chest."_

" _Well, that's pretty much what happened," she said as she teared up. "I think every single one of your ribs is bruised or cracked and you have a lot of deep bone contusions in your hips and legs from everything that fell on you. Do you want me to get the nurse? The doctor said those are going to be extremely painful for a while and you could have some meds as soon as you woke up."_

" _Yeah," he said before squeezing her hand tighter. "Wait," he gasped as even that little movement sent agonizing shockwaves up and down his side. "Is George okay?"_

" _He's fine. Not a scratch. He's with your dad and Danny at the office. Erin too. They've called in the FBI and are working on pulling together everything you told them. Don't worry about that now. They'll handle it. Your dad said to let him know the minute you woke up. Now let me get that nurse so she can help you."_

" _Okay… love you," he'd agreed and was soon out again as the promised pain medication took effect. The same pattern followed over the course of the next few days as Jamie would wake for brief periods of time before needing to hit the button to deliver some drugs again._

 _Eddie stayed at his side as the rest of the Reagan family drifted in and out while they attended to the important task of gathering information and arrest warrants as the entire conspiracy ring unraveled with George's insights playing a key role in uncovering the discrepancies that led to the names of all the parties involved. On Sunday though, the whole family gathered once more at the hospital and everyone had a little bit of time with Jamie as he struggled to stay awake for a longer period with Kaylin carefully curled up on the bed next to him before his father forced the issue and had him concede to soft required rest again by hitting the drug delivery button for him. Frank sent everyone else down to the cafeteria to share their dinner while he remained for some needed alone time with his youngest… time that he had thought was all but lost after what they had witnessed. It was a deeply shaken Frank Reagan that Erin reclaimed when she came to find him two hours later as he had finally been allowed the private moments needed to process what had happened and the run of emotions it had generated._

 _During one of Jamie's more lucid periods two days later, Eddie finally revealed to him exactly how close he had come to leaving them._

" _How long," he'd asked after the nurse had been in to take care of business and help him sit up in the chair while Eddie returned from the cafeteria. She looked at him puzzledly before he continued. "How long was I gone for?"_

" _A while," she admitted with a shudder as she sat next to him. "You were down for over forty minutes before they got you back. Luckily the hypothermia and the soft ground you fell on ended up saving you. Do you remember anything about that?" she asked as a scruffy-faced presence filled the doorway. Danny had come by to check on his little brother again in hopes he would be awake when he arrived this time, but this was not the conversation he wanted to recount. Everyone knew how close they had been to losing him and what Jamie recalled would haunt his older brother._

" _Jesus," he'd sighed as he thought about how hard that must have been on the family and what that could have meant for a little girl who had already lost too much. Kaylin was now in Henry's hands back at the family home and he had almost constant company volunteering to help with her. Despite Jamie's best efforts it was apparent that there was no way he was going to be able to make the adoption hearing that day and it was cancelled which had left him rather despondent despite the judge's assurances it could be rescheduled due to the circumstances. "I remember white walls… like sheets that moved and billowed with people behind them… faces I couldn't see. Felt like I was underwater… my mom and Joe. I heard their voices but I couldn't find them…"_

" _It wasn't your time, Harvard," Danny said gruffly as he walked in the room. "And if you would have found Joe he would have turned around and kicked your butt right back down here. Don't you ever go looking for him again... not until you're a hundred years old and I'm up there waiting too. You've got too much to do yet, and there's more than a few people that need you here. In fact, I came here to tell you that I arrested Denison in court an hour ago and the FBI is sweeping on everyone else as we speak. You did that kid... you and George. Without the two of you a whole lot of good cops were going to be forced to suffer for someone else's greed."_

" _Thanks, Dan," Jamie sighed as he grabbed his brother's hand. "And I'm not planning on ever going through something like that again. You shouldn't have worried though. I needed to come back… still owe Rick that beer."_

" _Why'd you do it?" Eddie asked, although she already knew the answer. "You knew Jimmy Michael was up to something. Why did you go inside?"_

" _He had to, Eddie," Danny answered for him. "It was for his partner. George was… he was being a good cop and doing the right thing trying to follow orders. They knew he was the key to figuring out what was happening. Jimmy Michael sent him to the basement on purpose. Partners always come first, Jamie had to go in there..."_

"Hey, are you in there?" Jamie asked as he playfully kicked up a little water at Eddie from the wave that had just rushed over their feet. "Earth to Janko, come in," he kidded.

"Stop that," she grinned as she tried to return the favor and he picked her up instead, pinning her up against him as he reached in to kiss her deeply. "Take that, shorty," he laughed before continuing on as their lips crashed together once more. Her hands slipped under his shirt as she caressed his back and he moaned, knowing what she was asking for.

"Can't," he stopped and set her back down as he tried to focus and calm himself. "We have to be back to Spencer's in time for the fireworks."

"Uncle Spencer is watching Kaylin and we can make our own fireworks," she begged as she looked up in his eyes. "It's our last night here, Reagan," she pleaded.

"I know," he sighed as he pushed off the temptation once more. It wouldn't have been the first time they had stolen away in the darkness on the beach together that week, but Jamie had a plan to carry out and the timing was critical. There would be a moment for this later, he promised himself… lots of them. "Trust me, you don't want to miss the show tonight, Janko."

Eddie tilted her head and squinted her eyes as she tried to figure out what he was up to but he was playing it straight and she decided to let things slide for now as they once again took up each other's hands and started down the beach. Soon Spencer's house was just around the next bend and a quick glance at his watch showed the time to be 11:55. Perfect.

Eddie's eyes widened in amazement as she peered around to see a flickering heart-shaped ring of votive paper lanterns arranged in the sand in front of the house. Suddenly she had no doubt what this whole carefully arranged evening had been about. She stepped across the dune on her way over to the opening with Jamie, never taking her eyes off of him. He shook his head at the sight of her big smile as he took her hand and led her into the center of the candles and dropped down to one knee. Her breath caught as she heard the words she had been longing for… sort of.

"Edit Katalin Janko, you're a real pain. I mean you're always trying to tell me what to do. You eat too much, you're opinionated, you never listen and you're constantly making plans for me without consulting me... but you are also the most beautiful woman I have ever known. I adore you in every way possible. You are my best friend… my partner, and I am utterly, madly, and completely in love with you. Will you marry me?"

"Oh, Jamie," she glowed, all caught up in the perfect breathtaking moment she had been dreaming of since she was a little girl. The soft white sand was sparkling like sugar in the moonlit air and the beautiful diamond ring in his hand glittered in the light of the flickering candles surrounding them as she was lost in the look of his dancing hazel eyes. She felt like a princess in a Disney tale. "Yes, of course I will marry you… _lamb_ chop," she replied, letting that last word roll off her tongue slowly and with emphasis although her heart was pounding in that instant. "I can't believe you did all this!"

Jamie smiled, carefully sliding the ring on her finger. It was a halo setting and had been specially made using the stones from his mother's engagement ring and his grandmother's old pendant. "I'm ready to spend the rest of my life with you, Edit, right from this very second forward. I told you once that you were a girl that deserved to be properly wooed," Jamie explained as he rose to his feet, brushing the sand off his knee and bringing her left hand up to kiss the ring softly. She smiled as she remembered the conversation that first night in his apartment. "You told me later if I wanted you to say yes I needed to do something spectacularly romantic," he added. "So I did. I promised you. There's so much more to come."

Eddie's smile grew as her heart now pounded in her chest, "You are the most handsome and amazing man I've ever met, Jamison Henry Reagan. I love you with all my heart and soul."

Jamie reached down to kiss her and lifted her off her feet, twirling her around in a small circle. Suddenly the fireworks began to explode across the sky and rain down over them from the point out by the jetty where he had commissioned the display with Spencer's help once again. The night flashed in vivid hues of reds, greens, purples and pinks as a set of thunderous shells exploded, marking the arrival of a new year and another level of their relationship. A little girl was soon running across the sand towards them after Spencer brought her down from the house and she was quickly scooped up and peppered in hugs and kisses as the three of them laughed and stood mesmerized by the moment. They would soon be a real family all together, something that Jamie wanted more than anything to share and Eddie and Kaylin were desperate for.

It wasn't until after they had boarded the plane to return to New York late the following morning and were settled in their seats with Kaylin between them waiting for it to taxi down the runway that Eddie glanced down once more at the beautiful engagement ring on her finger and had a sudden sinking feeling that maybe the fairy tale had a major wrinkle no one had yet considered.

"Oh, crap, Reagan," she sputtered. "I just realized something... you're gonna to have to meet my mother."

Jamie just smiled as he leaned back against the headrest with his eyes closed. After all they had been through in the past few months that seemed like such a non-issue. "Nothing to worry about, Ed. Mothers always love me…" he murmured. "How bad can it be?"

-fin-

* * *

 _Poor Jamie. Once he meets Eddie's mom, Eva Janko (remember mommazilla, as I like to call her, from the first series?), he might wish that he had opted to stay in New York and pull off that instant Valentine's Day wedding at the old monastery as he did in "Follow Your Heart," but what fun would that be? This gives me a whole new set of circumstances to write about in the next installment of this series as our Jamko pair plan for the big event and settle on a place to live while a new threat to their happy family life emerges. For those of you who love the brotherly interplay between Danny and Jamie, I promise you'll see them together in a very memorable way. Look for the new story "It's all in the name…" when I have it done._

 _Fair warning… that one is turning out to be an angst-ridden, sometimes dark roller coaster ride and I'm not even in sight of being done with it… so much possible material... some sad, some silly and you'll have to thank lawslave for one suggestion in particular to include in the later chapters which just spawned so much more that I am practically dying myself to write my way up to that point._

 _Also in the werks (ha!) I intend to do a few more of the original "Snapshot" pieces which have been neglected a little as I've been concentrating on these monster stories while the creative juices were flowing, and I also have an idea for a similar kind of thing called something like "Milestones" which will hit some of the lifetime highlights of the Jamie/Kaylin father/daughter relationship and possibly little Joseph from the first series. First day at school, lost tooth, dating (gasp!), off to college, weddings… stuff like that. Haven't started it yet but PM or put any requests in the reviews and I'll see if I can add them to the list._

 _And thanks again for all who have read, reviewed, fav'd and favorited! You guys are flippin' awesome!_

 _**ETA: Seems like some of you couldn't get enough of this story. See "Snapshots II - from the second series" for missing scenes from the three weeks between the blast and the trip to see Spencer, including how Ms. Adams met her downfall as well as a special Valentine's Day treat with Frank and Kaylin!_


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